101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB1988

 

Introduced 2/15/2019, by Sen. Martin A. Sandoval

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the High Speed Railway Commission Act. Prescribes the membership of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall create a statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and feeder network connecting St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois that includes current existing Amtrak and Metra services, connects the cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria, and Decatur, and uses inter-city bus service to coordinate with the rail line. Provides that the Commission shall conduct a ridership study and shall make findings and recommendations concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service, and implementation of the plan. Provides that the Commission shall report to the General Assembly and the Government no later than December 31 of each year. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall provide administrative support to the Commission. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2025. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB1988LRB101 11094 TAE 56307 b

1    AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the High
5Speed Railway Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Commission created; membership.
7    (a) There is created the High Speed Railway Commission to
8carry out the duties set forth in Section 10.
9    (b) The Commission shall be composed of the following
10members:
11        (1) The Governor or his or her designee.
12        (2) The President of the Senate or his or her designee.
13        (3) The Minority Leader of the Senate or his or her
14    designee.
15        (4) The Speaker of the House or his or her designee.
16        (5) The Minority Leader of the House or his or her
17    designee.
18        (6) The Secretary of Transportation or his or her
19    designee.
20        (7) The Chairperson of the Illinois State Toll Highway
21    Authority or his or her designee.
22        (8) The Chairperson of the Illinois Commerce
23    Commission or his or her designee.

 

 

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1        (9) The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Metra
2    or his or her designee.
3        (10) The Mayor of the City of Chicago or his or her
4    designee.
5        (11) A representative of a labor organization
6    representing rail workers.
7        (12) A representative of a trade organization related
8    to the rail industry.
9        (13) A representative of the Metropolitan Mayors and
10    Managers Association.
11        (14) A representative from the Illinois Railroad
12    Association.
13        (15) A representative from the University of Illinois
14    System.
15        (16) A representative from the Municipal Planning
16    Organization.
17        (17) A representative of the Illinois Municipal
18    League.
19    (c) The Chairperson of the Commission shall be elected from
20the Commission's membership by a simple majority vote of the
21total membership of the Commission. The Vice-Chairperson of the
22Commission shall be elected from the Commission's membership by
23a simple majority vote of the total membership of the
24Commission.
25    (d) The Governor, President of the Senate, Minority Leader
26of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and

 

 

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1Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall make
2their initial appointments to the Commission by January 1,
32020.
4    (e) Vacancies in Commission membership shall be filled in
5the same manner as initial appointments.
6    (f) Total membership of the Commission consists of the
7number of members serving on the Commission, not including any
8vacant positions. A quorum consists of a simple majority of
9total membership and shall be sufficient to conduct the
10business of the Commission, unless stipulated otherwise in the
11by-laws of the Commission.
12    (g) The Commission shall meet at least quarterly.
 
13    Section 10. Duties of Commission. The Commission created by
14Section 5 shall create a statewide plan for a high-speed rail
15line and feeder network connecting St. Louis, Missouri and
16Chicago, Illinois that includes current existing Amtrak and
17Metra services, connects the cities of Rockford, Moline,
18Peoria, and Decatur, and uses inter-city bus service to
19coordinate with the rail line. The Commission shall conduct a
20ridership study and shall make findings and recommendations
21concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service,
22and implementation of the plan. The Commission shall report to
23the General Assembly and the Government no later than December
2431 of each year.
 

 

 

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1    Section 15. Administrative support. The Department of
2Transportation shall provide administrative and other support
3to the Commission.
 
4    Section 20. Repeal. The Act is repealed on January 1, 2025.
 
5    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
6becoming law.