Overview
- The Illinois General Assembly approved House Bill 4843, which passed Tuesday, and the measure now sits on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk awaiting his decision.
- The bill expands the state law definition of an "electronic device" to expressly cover smart glasses and forbids their use while driving even in hands-free or voice-operated modes.
- Penalties start at $75 for a first offense and rise to $150 for repeat violations, and drivers involved in a serious crash while wearing smart glasses could face misdemeanor or felony charges.
- Supporters including Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias say the ban treats in-eye displays as the same visual hazard as phones, while technologists warn the rule may be hard to enforce because some glasses have tiny corner displays or resemble ordinary eyewear or car heads-up displays.
- The move responds to growing industry work on augmented-reality wearables from companies such as Amazon and Meta and could prompt similar state proposals if the governor signs the bill.