PROHIBIT OBSTRUCT RIGHT OF WAY

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB5625

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5625

Introduced 2/17/2026, by Rep. Chris Miller

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

605 ILCS 5/9-117

from Ch. 121, par. 9-117
625 ILCS 5/11-1303

from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1303
820 ILCS 5/1.4

Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Provides that a person who fells a
tree for the purpose of obstructing a public highway in hindrance of
official State or federal government duties commits a Class 4 felony.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person who violates
provisions related to stopping, standing, or parking in prohibited places
in hindrance of official State or federal government duties commits a
Class 4 felony. Amends the Labor Dispute Act. Provides that for persons
engaging in picketing, no sign, tent, or temporary shelter may be erected
or maintained in such a manner as to obscure or otherwise physically
interfere with official State or federal government duties, and a person
who violates the prohibition commits a Class 4 felony. Effective
immediately.
LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b

A BILL FOR

HB5625
LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1

AN ACT concerning public rights-of-way.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Illinois Highway Code is amended by
5
changing Section 9-117 as follows:

6

(605 ILCS 5/9-117)

(from Ch. 121, par. 9-117)
7

Sec. 9-117.
If any person injures or obstructs a public
8
highway by felling a tree or trees in, upon or across the same,
9
or by placing or leaving any other obstruction thereon, or
10
encroaching upon the same with any fence, or by plowing or
11
digging any ditch or other opening thereon, or by turning a
12
current of water so as to saturate, wash or damage the same, or
13
by plowing in or across or on the slopes of the side gutters or
14
ditches, or by placing any material in such ditches, or in any
15
way interfering with the free flow of water therein, or leaves
16
the cuttings of any hedge thereon for more than 10 days,
17
without the permission of the highway authority having
18
jurisdiction over such highway, he shall be guilty of a petty
19
offense and fined for every such offense not less than $50 nor
20
more than $500; and in case of placing any obstruction on the
21
highway, an additional sum of not exceeding $50 per day for
22
every day he allows such obstruction to remain after he has
23
been ordered to remove it by the highway authority having

HB5625
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LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1
jurisdiction over such highway. Any person feeling himself
2
aggrieved or any such highway authority may make a complaint
3
under this Section.
4

The highway authority having jurisdiction over such
5
highway, after having given 10 days' notice to the owners of
6
the obstruction or person so obstructing, or plowing, or
7
digging ditches upon such highway or interfering with the free
8
flow of water in the side gutters or ditches, of the
9
obstruction, plowing or digging of ditches, interfering with
10
drainage, or of the encroachment of any fence, may remove any
11
such fence or other obstruction, fill up any ditch or
12
excavation except ditches necessary to the drainage of an
13
adjoining farm emptying into a ditch upon the highway, or
14
regrade such side gutters or ditches, and recover the
15
necessary cost of such removal or filling of any such ditch or
16
excavation, or regrading of such side gutters or ditches from
17
such owner or other person obstructing or damaging such
18
highway aforesaid, to be collected by the highway authority
19
having jurisdiction of the highway whereon such offense was
20
committed. Any such cost recovered shall be deposited in the
21
road fund of the political division having jurisdiction over
22
the highway adjudged to have been obstructed or injured, and
23
shall be used only for maintenance or construction of public
24
highways under the jurisdiction of that division.
25

The 10 day notice requirement of this Section is not
26
required for any obstruction to traffic flow including

HB5625
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LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1
non-adherence to the provisions of a permit issued by the
2
highway authority having jurisdiction under Section 4-209,
3
5-413, or 9-113 of this Code.
4

However, this section shall not apply to any person who
5
shall lawfully fell any tree for use and shall immediately
6
remove the same out of the highway, nor to any person through
7
or along whose land a public highway may pass, who shall desire
8
to drain his land, and who shall give due notice to the proper
9
highway authority of such intention, and who shall first
10
secure from such highway authority written permission for any
11
work, ditching or excavating he proposes to do within the
12
limits of the highway.
13

A person who fells a tree under this Section for the
14
purpose of obstructing a public highway in hindrance of
15
official State or federal government duties commits a Class 4
16
felony.

17
(Source: P.A. 93-177, eff. 7-11-03.)

18

Section 10.
The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
19
changing Section 11-1303 as follows:

20

(625 ILCS 5/11-1303)

(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1303)
21

Sec. 11-1303.
Stopping, standing or parking prohibited in
22
specified places.

23

(a) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other
24
traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a

HB5625
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LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1
police officer or official traffic-control device, no person
2
shall:
3

1. Stop, stand or park a vehicle:
4

a. On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or
5

parked at the edge or curb of a street;
6

b. On a sidewalk;
7

c. Within an intersection;
8

d. On a crosswalk;
9

e. Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or
10

within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately
11

opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless a different
12

length is indicated by signs or markings;
13

f. Alongside or opposite any street excavation or
14

obstruction when stopping, standing or parking would
15

obstruct traffic;
16

g. Upon any bridge or other elevated structure
17

upon a highway or within a highway tunnel;
18

h. On any railroad tracks. A violation of any part
19

of this subparagraph h. shall result in a mandatory
20

fine of $500 or 50 hours of community service.
21

i. At any place where official signs prohibit
22

stopping;
23

j. On any controlled-access highway;
24

k. In the area between roadways of a divided
25

highway, including crossovers;
26

l. In a public parking area if the vehicle does not

HB5625
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LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1

display a current annual registration sticker or
2

digital registration sticker or current temporary
3

permit pending registration.
4

2. Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not,
5

except momentarily to pick up or discharge passengers:
6

a. In front of a public or private driveway;
7

b. Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
8

c. Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an
9

intersection;
10

d. Within 30 feet upon the approach to any
11

flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic
12

control signal located at the side of a roadway;
13

e. Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any
14

fire station and on the side of a street opposite the
15

entrance to any fire station within 75 feet of such
16

entrance (when properly sign-posted);
17

f. At any place where official signs prohibit
18

standing.
19

3. Park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except
20

temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged
21

in loading or unloading property or passengers:
22

a. Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad
23

crossing;
24

b. At any place where official signs prohibit
25

parking.
26

(b) No person shall move a vehicle not lawfully under his

HB5625
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LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1
control into any such prohibited area or away from a curb such
2
distance as is unlawful.
3

(c) A person who violates this Section in hindrance of
4
official State or federal government duties commits a Class 4
5
felony.

6
(Source: P.A. 101-395, eff. 8-16-19.)

7

Section 15.
The Labor Dispute Act is amended by changing
8
Section 1.4 as follows:

9

(820 ILCS 5/1.4)
10

Sec. 1.4.
Use of public right of way.
11

(a) Persons engaged in picketing shall be allowed to use
12
public rights of way to apprise the public of the existence of
13
a dispute for the following:
14

(1) The purposes of picketing.
15

(2) The erection of temporary signs announcing their
16

dispute.
17

(3) The parking of at least one vehicle on the public
18

right of way. Nothing in this Section shall require the
19

accommodation of parking more than 10 vehicles on the
20

public right of way. This Section shall not be construed
21

to allow the blocking of fire hydrants. Picketers shall
22

ensure that water mains, sewers, and other utilities are
23

accessible for construction, maintenance, and emergency
24

repair work.

HB5625
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LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1

(4) The erection of tents or other temporary shelter
2

for the health, welfare, personal safety, and well-being
3

of picketers.
4

(b) Any signs, tents, or temporary shelters shall be
5
removed at the end of each day when the picketing has ceased.
6
Signs, tents, or temporary shelters may be maintained so long
7
as individuals participating in the labor dispute are present.
8

(c) This Section shall not be construed to allow the
9
erection of a tent or shelter or parking of a vehicle where
10
there is insufficient space on the public right of way. This
11
Section shall not be construed to allow the erection of a tent
12
or shelter on the right of way of any Class I highway as
13
defined in Section 1-126.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.
14
Picketers shall ensure that a reasonable walkway exists for
15
pedestrians and others to pass by the picketing activities.
16
Persons using the right of way under this Section shall make
17
reasonable attempts to keep the area free from garbage and
18
significant damage.
19

(d) No sign, tent, or temporary shelter may be erected or
20
maintained in such a manner as to obscure or otherwise
21
physically interfere with an official traffic sign, signal, or
22
device or to obstruct or physically interfere with a driver's
23
view of approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic. The
24
burden of proof shall rest on the unit of local government
25
making such a claim. If a court determines that a sign, tent,
26
or temporary shelter does not obscure or otherwise physically

HB5625
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LRB104 20796 LNS 34314 b
1
interfere with an official traffic sign, signal, or device or
2
obstruct or physically interfere with a driver's view of
3
approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic, the unit of
4
local government is liable for all costs and attorney's fees.
5

(d-5) No sign, tent, or temporary shelter may be erected
6
or maintained in such a manner as to obscure or otherwise
7
physically interfere with official State or federal government
8
duties. A person who violates this subsection commits a Class
9
4 felony.

10

(e) A person who, with the intent of interfering with,
11
obstructing, or impeding a picket or other demonstration or
12
protest, places any object in the public way commits a Class A
13
misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $500.
14
(Source: P.A. 103-45, eff. 1-1-24
.)

15

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon
16
becoming law.

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