Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has been sent a bill that would change driver’s license renewal requirements for senior citizens in the state.
Newsweek reached out to Pritzker’s office for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The proposed law would increase the age at which senior drivers must take a behind-the-wheel driving test to retain their license, from 79 to 87. There are more than 1.2 million drivers aged 65 or older in Illinois who the bill would impact if it becomes law, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
What to Know
The bill passed both houses of Illinois’ legislature in May, and it was sent to Pritzker’s desk for a signature on June 20. The governor has not indicated whether he plans to support the bill. It passed with bipartisan support.
The office of Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias told Newsweek in a statement that the bill would align Illinois’ driving standards with those of the rest of the nation.
Under the bill, drivers 87 and older would be required to take annual driving tests. Immediate family members would also be able to report concerns about their driving ability, which could potentially result in the loss of driving privileges. Current law allows medical personnel, attorneys and police to file these reports.
The name of the individual submitting the report would be kept confidential, according to the bill’s text.
State Representative Jay Hoffman, a Democrat who introduced the bill, told Newsweek that testing seniors at 79 doesn’t help improve road safety.
“The numbers are clear: testing at that age doesn’t create any practical contribution to traffic safety, just unnecessary stress for older Illinoisans,” he said. “I was happy to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring Illinois in-line with neighboring states by making a change we all agreed should be a priority.”
Giannoulias has supported the bill, which passed the state Senate unanimously.
“My top priority as Secretary of State is keeping Illinois roads safe. Allowing immediate relatives to notify my office of concerns about their loved one’s driving ability helps make driving safer for everyone,” he said in a statement provided to Newsweek.
He noted that Illinois statistics show that senior drivers are “the safest of any age category.”
“This legislation will remove unnecessary burdens placed on them and align our testing standards with the rest of the nation,” he said.
What People Are Saying
State Senator Ram Villivalam, a Democrat, told Capitol News Illinois: “I think about my mom. I don’t think my mom would admit she’s a senior, but she is someone that is very much a safe driver. I can’t think of someone that I know that’s a safer driver…This legislation is removing this archaic requirement and doing so in a very balanced way.”
AARP urged lawmakers to support the bill in a press release earlier this year: “AARP members have asked our team for years why Illinois is the ONLY state in the nation that still uses age as a factor to require people to retake their driving test. Our members believe the policy to be discriminatory. The right to drive should be based on ability and not age.”
What Happens Next
If the bill is signed into law, it would take effect on July 1, 2026.
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