New proposed bill would require Cook County to establish vehicle theft hotline

A new proposed bill would require Cook County to establish a vehicle theft hotline to facilitate the location of a stolen vehicle.

State Sen. Michael E. Hastings said House Bill 2245 would allow law enforcement officials to contact auto manufacturers to ping where the car is located. 

"We must embrace technology to give law enforcement the tools to track carjackers and tackle this epidemic," Hastings said. "The quicker we are able to locate where a carjacker is, the safer our communities will be."

The bill also says that if a driver hasn’t subscribed to the vehicle’s tracking service, the car manufacturer will waive all fees related to the tracking service during law enforcement response or investigation.

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Lawmakers say the hotline would operate 24 hours every day of the week and would be available to state, county and local law enforcement for the purpose of tracking vehicles that have been stolen or used in a kidnapping. 

"This measure will help ensure we are able to locate vehicles faster and also help prevent it from being used in additional violent crimes," Hastings said. "We need to continue to work together to alleviate crimes in our communities and ensure our families are safe."

The bill passed the Senate’s Special Committee on Criminal Law and Public Safety, and it will now head to the floor for consideration.