Illinois Gov. George Ryan is expected to sign a bill that will institute higher fees for Illinois commercial driver's license in order to pay for 28 more troopers to crack down on overweight and unsafe trucks.

The measure raises the $40 fee for a four-year CDL to $60, raising $2.2 million for the state. It passed the Senate after a provision was taken out that would have allowed spot checks by police in towns across Illinois. The measure passed the state House of Representatives last Thursday by a 70-35 vote.
"We've all heard horror stories about trucks falling part, pieces falling off, things that cause accidents," said Rep. Charles Hartke, the bill's chief House sponsor.
Sen. Walter Dudycz of Chicago said he was able to get the bill passed after a joint investigation by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana recently documented how the two states devote fewer resources to truck inspections than other states with similar amounts of truck traffic.