SB1611enr 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1611 Enrolled LRB093 03052 SJM 03069 b

AN ACT in relation to transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by changing Section 2705-207 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2705/2705-207)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2005)

Sec. 2705-207. Regional Transportation Task Force.

(a) The Regional Transportation Task Force is created within the Department.

(b) The Task Force shall consist of 11 voting members, as follows: 3 members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be designated as chair of the task force at the time of appointment; 2 members appointed by the President of the Senate; 2 members appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and 2 members appointed by the House Minority Leader.

The following shall serve, ex officio, as non-voting members: the Secretary of Transportation; one member designated by the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS); one member designated by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC); one member designated by the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA); one member designated by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA); 2 members of Congress representing Illinois from different political parties, as designated by the Governor; and 4 members designated by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.

If a vacancy occurs in the task force membership, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointment.

(c) The task force may begin to conduct business upon the appointment of a majority of the voting members, including the chair.

(d) The task force may adopt bylaws; it must meet at least once each calendar quarter; and it may establish committees and officers as it deems necessary. For purposes of task force meetings, a quorum is 6 voting members. Meetings of the task force are subject to the Open Meetings Act. The task force must afford an opportunity for public comment at each of its meetings.

(e) Task force members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for their reasonable travel expenses from funds available for that purpose. The Department shall provide staff and administrative support services to the task force. The Department and the task force may accept donated services and other resources from registered not-for-profit organizations as may be necessary to complete the work of the task force with minimal expense to the State of Illinois.

(f) The task force shall gather information and make recommendations to the Governor and to the General Assembly regarding metro area transportation programs in northeastern Illinois, which includes, without limitation, the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will. These recommendations must include, without limitation:

(1) examining the feasibility of merging CATS, NIPC, RTA, and ISTHA into a single agency;

(2) identifying areas where functions of these and other agencies are redundant or unnecessary;

(3) identifying methods to promote cost effectiveness, efficiency, and equality in meeting area transportation needs; and

(4) examining regional and economic impact as it relates to potential policy implementation.

(g) The task force shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by April 15, 2004 March 1, 2004 concerning its findings and recommendations.

(h) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2005.

(Source: P.A. 93-405, eff. 8-1-03.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.