Legislation to eliminate a law requiring Illinoisans age 79 and older to take annual road tests to renew their driver’s licenses fizzled out last spring.
But many seniors haven’t forgotten, nor the fact Illinois is the only U.S. state with an age-based mandate.
“My birthday is approaching, so I am due for a road test again,” Bob Magnussen, 91, wrote recently.
“I do not mind taking the test, but to try and make an appointment every year is very ridiculous,” the Palatine resident said.
Republican state Rep. Jeff Keicher of Sycamore introduced a bill to end the age-triggered tests early this year, after hearing complaints from constituents, many from Huntley’s Sun City active adult community.
The legislation passed a committee vote, but it was shelved in May. Despite gaining 48 bipartisan cosponsors, only a few top Democratic leaders signed on, and Speaker Chris Welch was not among them.
The General Assembly’s veto session starts Tuesday and runs through Nov. 21. Any chance the bill will be resuscitated?
“Don’t hold out hope that something will happen in veto session,” Keicher said. “The measure will need to be reintroduced in spring when the new General Assembly is there.
“I think the best step forward will be to hand it to someone on the other side that can navigate the Democrat hurdles that I might be encountering a little bit more effectively,” Keicher said.
Keicher said he had a couple of Democratic lawmakers in mind but wouldn’t specify.
He encouraged voters who support the change to contact their local representative or senator. GOP state Sen. Don DeWitte of St. Charles has proposed a companion bill.
Illinois mandates drivers ages 79 and 80 take a road exam if their four-year license renewal is up. For drivers ages 81 to 86, it’s every two years, and for those 87 and older, it’s yearly.
Multiple seniors argue the policy is age discrimination and say older drivers typically avoid risks like speeding and going out at night or in inclement weather.
Supporters say it’s a safety measure that identifies at-risk drivers whose cognitive abilities could be declining.
Senior John Billis of Prairie View gets the last word.
“I do not think Illinois will ever pass a law to correct the discrimination against older people,” Billis said.
You should know
The Chicago Department of Aviation recently opened four concessions at O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 5. The new businesses include Chick-fil-A, Protein Bar & Kitchen, Dunkin’/Baskin Robbins, and Gallery ORD, which features clothes, sunglasses and accessories from high-end brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
Gridlock alert
Starting Tuesday, IDOT crews will close the Foster Avenue Bridge over the Kennedy Expressway. Workers will replace the structure, plus add new lighting and traffic signals. Detours to Nagel, Bryn Mawr, Milwaukee and Central avenues will be posted. The $25 million project should wrap up in summer 2026.
Your voice
Reader Nick Adams of Campton Hills thinks that “one of the most consequential aspects of switching to electric vehicles is the loss of gas tax revenues. No one ever talks about the impact. If 10% of vehicles are electric, we would realize a 10% reduction in the tax revenue. How would the deficit be made up? Higher taxes. If you look into what this tax money supports, you will see that the state will need to supplement the revenue some way. I believe we need to review the entire thought process behind electric vehicles,” he said.
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