Passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly on May 29, 2011: Amends 625 ILCS 5/11-306. Provides that the driver of a motorcycle, facing any steady red signal which fails to change to a green signal within a reasonable period of time because of a signal malfunction or because the signal has failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle due to the motorcycle's size or weight, has the right to proceed subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

Two months later, August 3:  Waiting for the Governor's signature.

November 10th:

Straight on red OK'd for Illinois bikers
By Kurt Erickson

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois lawmakers rejected Gov. Pat Quinn's veto of a proposal to allow motorcycle riders and bicyclists to go straight through a red light after stopping.

The measure, which moved through the Senate Thursday on a 45-6 vote after winning support in the House last month, would require the operators of two-wheeled vehicles to wait a reasonable amount of time before proceeding through an intersection.

Quinn wanted lawmakers to impose a two-minute time limit on the wait to ensure the law is enforced the same throughout the state.

The new law was inspired by motorcycle rights groups, who say motorcycle riders can sometimes get stuck at red lights for several light cycles because the lighter weight of the two-wheel vehicles won't trigger sensors that cause stoplights to change at some intersections.

At least 12 other states, including Missouri and Wisconsin, have laws on the books allowing for bikes to go straight on red.

The legislation is House Bill 2860.

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/straight-on-red-ok-d-for-illinois-bikers/article_a977f73c-0be9-11e1-b85f-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1eJiDYKDf

(For the record:  Among others, the intersections at Hunt Club & Rosecrans (42.465655,-87.972111), at Waukegan & Foster (42.285278,-87.882493) and at Barrington & Dundee (42.128385,-88.136305) do not sense motorcycles.)

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