102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB3951

 

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Blue-Ribbon Commission on Transportation Infrastructure and Policy. Provides for the membership of the Commission. Provides for the appointment of a chairperson of the Commission by the Governor. Provides that the members shall be appointed by May 31, 2022. Provides for the meetings and duties of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall report a summary of its activities and produce a final report of its data, findings, and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 31, 2023. Provides that the Act shall be repealed on February 1, 2023. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

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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
5Blue-Ribbon Commission on Transportation Infrastructure
6Funding and Policy Act.
 
7    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
8following:
9        (1) Illinois' transportation system is crucial to
10    every resident, employee, and business. It serves as the
11    backbone of the economy and is a critical component of
12    Illinois' economic competitiveness.
13        (2) The State must continue to pursue an equitable
14    transportation network in which marginalized communities
15    have improved access to all modes of transportation,
16    thereby enhancing access to jobs, housing, and other
17    services.
18        (3) Illinois is home to an expansive transportation
19    network, currently ranking third in the nation for the
20    number of roadway miles and bridges, totaling 127,044 and
21    26,848, respectively. The State also has 6,883 miles of
22    freight railway, 1,118 inland waterway miles, 58 transit
23    systems with over 450 million annual transit trips, and 17

 

 

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1    major airports.
2        (4) The historic Rebuild Illinois capital plan adopted
3    in 2019 will end in June 2025.
4        (5) The motor fuel tax and vehicle registration fees
5    remain the most significant form of transportation funding
6    for Illinois.
7        (6) Illinois will continue to contend with
8    transportation funding shortfalls due to increasing
9    vehicle fuel efficiency and the rising popularity of
10    electric vehicles.
11        (7) New and innovative funding and policy options are
12    needed to adequately maintain Illinois' transportation
13    systems and support future growth.
14        (8) The General Assembly should study these issues to
15    determine funding mechanisms for transportation projects
16    and operations in Illinois, policy changes to support the
17    efficient governance and delivery of transportation
18    projects, and the workforce needed to support the future
19    transportation system.
 
20    Section 10. Commission created.
21    (a) The Blue-Ribbon Commission on Transportation
22Infrastructure Funding and Policy is created within the
23Department of Transportation consisting of members appointed
24as follows:
25        (1) Four members of the House of Representatives, with

 

 

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1    2 to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
2    Representatives and 2 to be appointed by the Minority
3    Leader of the House of Representatives.
4        (2) Four members of the Senate, with 2 to be appointed
5    by the President of the Senate and 2 to be appointed by the
6    Minority Leader of the Senate.
7        (3) Eight members appointed by the Governor with the
8    advice and consent of the Senate.
9        (4) The chair of the Commission to be appointed by the
10    Governor from among his 8 appointments.
11    (b) Members shall have expertise, knowledge, or experience
12in transportation infrastructure development, construction,
13workforce, or policy. Members shall also represent a diverse
14set of sectors, including the labor, engineering,
15construction, transit, active transportation, rail, air, or
16other sectors, and shall include participants of the
17Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. No more than 2
18appointees shall be members of the same sector.
19    (c) Members shall represent geographically diverse regions
20of the State.
21    (d) Members shall be appointed by May 31, 2022.
 
22    Section 15. Meetings. The Commission shall hold its first
23meeting within 2 months from the effective date of this Act.
24The Commission may conduct meetings at such places and at such
25times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to

 

 

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1exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties,
2and accomplish its objectives and purposes.
 
3    Section 20. Duties. The Commission shall evaluate
4Illinois' existing transportation infrastructure funding and
5policy processes and develop alternative solutions. The
6Commission shall:
7        (1) Evaluate current transportation funding in
8    Illinois, taking into account the viability of existing
9    revenue sources and funding distributions.
10        (2) Consider new and innovative funding options,
11    including, but not limited to, a vehicle miles traveled
12    fee, tolling, congestion pricing, and local government
13    funding options.
14        (3) Evaluate the existing governance of Illinois'
15    transportation system, including roles and
16    responsibilities for the state and county, township, and
17    municipal governments.
18        (4) Evaluate current and future workforce needs to
19    design, construct, and manage the state's transportation
20    system within the Illinois Department of Transportation
21    and within the State as a whole.
22        (5) Evaluate current and future data needs of the
23    Illinois Department of Transportation.
24        (6) Consider and recommend steps to expedite project
25    approval and completion.

 

 

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1        (7) Consider future trends that will impact the
2    transportation system, including safety needs, racial
3    equity, electric vehicles, and climate change.
4        (8) Consider ways to improve transportation investment
5    impacts on goals such as improving racial equity,
6    addressing climate change, and increasing economic growth.
7        (9) Consider improvements to the performance-based
8    programming system.
9        (10) Consider multimodal system needs, including
10    public transportation, bicycle facilities, railways,
11    waterways, and airports.
12        (11) Consider alternative solutions employed by other
13    states.
 
14    Section 25. Report. The Commission shall direct the
15Illinois Department of Transportation to enter into a contract
16with a third party to assist the Commission in producing a
17document that evaluates the topics under this Act and outline
18formal recommendations that can be acted upon by the General
19Assembly. The Commission shall report a summary of its
20activities and produce a final report of the data, findings,
21and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 31,
222023. The final report shall include specific, actionable
23recommendations for legislation and organizational
24adjustments. The final report may include recommendations for
25pilot programs to test alternatives. The final report and

 

 

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1recommendations shall also include any minority and individual
2views of task force members.
 
3    Section 30. Repeal. This Commission is dissolved, and this
4Act is repealed on February 1, 2023.
 
5    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
6becoming law.