Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation Monday, sponsored by State Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) and State Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), giving motorists the option to register their vehicles for more than one year at a time.
House Bill 4259, which passed the House and Senate unanimously, allows motorists, beginning in 2021, to register their vehicles for one or two years. It also allows owners of trailers to register their trailer up to five years. The price per year would be the same, but motorists would be able to pay multiple years up front and would not have to change their sticker every year.
McConchie and Batinick say this legislation provides a convenience and saves the state money.
“About a year and a half ago, my dad came into the house frustrated after trying to put his renewal sticker on his license plate in the bitter cold saying, ‘I don’t know why we can’t renew our plates for more than one year at a time,’” McConchie recalled. “I remember thinking, ‘What a great idea!’ We could save the state money and provide greater convenience to taxpayers.
“There were plenty of bureaucrats who wanted to maintain the status quo, but we finally prevailed,” McConchie continued. “I encourage everyone to bring their ideas for legislation forward—big or small. Together, we can make Illinois work again.”
“The ability to purchase a two-year registration for vehicles and a five-year registration for trailers is something that I think will appeal to many businesses as well as individuals,” said Batinick. “Providing convenience and saving money for the state is a win-win in my book.”