A bill that would eliminate a new fee targeting Illinois truckers has moved to the Senate.

HB412, which passed the House by a vote of 90-7 just days ago, would eliminate the commercial distribution fee, a 36 percent surcharge on truck registration fees. Under the bill, the fee would end as soon as the bill becomes effective; it would also restore the rolling stock exemption back to its terms before the passage of that fee.

The bill is now before the Senate Rules Committee. It has also picked up a powerful ally; Sen. George Shadid, D-Pekin, chairman of the upper chamber’s Transportation Committee, has signed on as the chief Senate co-sponsor.

The fee became part of Illinois law last year with the passage of SB841. It immediately sparked opposition from the trucking industry.

For trucks that run all of their miles in the state, SB841 increased the registration fee of $2,790 by $1,005 to a new total of $3,795. The state imposed the new fee immediately on intrastate truckers, whose plates were due the same day the bill became effective, July 1, 2003.