New Illinois legislation in the works soon may prohibit drivers, whose licenses have been revoked or suspended for certain alcohol-related offenses, from purchasing vehicles.

In what Secretary of State Jesse White calls an initiative to keep dangerous drivers off the road, he proposed legislation earlier this month that would prohibit drivers whose licenses are suspended or revoked for DUI or reckless homicide from purchasing an automobile in the state.

State Rep. Careen Gordon (D-Coal City), who is sponsoring the bill, said she thinks the legislation will help alleviate problems caused by drivers with a history of DUIs.

“I was a prosecutor for years, and I know how much of a problem it is,” Gordon said.

The idea for the legislation stems from a crash last year in Englewood, where a man whose license had been revoked for eight years drove a car he recently had purchased into a porch, killing four people.

“If you can prevent one instance like that, it’s a good thing,” said Randy Nehrt, deputy press secretary for the Illinois Secretary of State.

The law would require car dealers to run a customer’s driver’s license or Social Security number through a system that would check if his or her license currently is suspended or revoked because of DUI or reckless homicide.

If approved, it would be a criminal offense if the law was violated, and vehicles purchased in violation could be repossessed, Nehrt said.

But before it happens, the law must be passed through the House of Representatives and the state Senate.

Not all legislators are behind the proposal.

“It does not address all the issues,” said Sen. Brad Burzynski (R-Sycamore).

Simply not allowing offenders to buy a new car won’t necessarily keep them off the road, Burzynski said. Most already would have a car, he said.

Burzynski said he also has concerns about people not being able to buy a vehicle for a family member, but Gordon said it is something the offender would have to deal with.