Cory Martin, Chairman of the BLET Illinois State Legislative Board
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Last month, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a BLET-backed privacy bill into law that protects the identities of train crew members following grade crossing incidents involving a fatality.
BLET Illinois State Legislative Board Chairman Cory Martin lobbied for passage of the legislation (H.B. 5189). Martin said the law amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and stipulates that all reports involving railroad fatalities and all communications between police officers and involved train crew members will not be made public.
Brother Martin said the privacy protections became necessary as a result of overzealous auto insurance companies using public information to go after locomotive engineers, even though they were not behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. The privacy issues that led to the Illinois reforms are not unique to that state. In a more disturbing case, as reported by BLET New England Legislative Board Chairman Dan Cadogan, the name of a locomotive engineer was made public following the death of a pedestrian. Even though it was a tragic accident, the engineer became the victim of malicious harassment online and at home by individuals associated with the deceased.
Brother Martin thanked Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-100th District), the bill’s chief sponsor in the Illinois General Assembly, and Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8th District), the chief sponsor in the State Senate. Martin also thanked Brother Cadogan for providing the bill’s language.
The new law will become effective Jan. 1, 2025.