70 ILCS 3615/1.02

(70 ILCS 3615/1.02) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 701.02)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-457)

Sec. 1.02. Findings and Purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds;

(i) Public transportation is, as provided in Section 7 of Article XIII of the Illinois Constitution, an essential public purpose for which public funds may be expended and that Section authorizes the State to provide financial assistance to units of local government for distribution to providers of public transportation. There is an urgent need to reform and continue a unit of local government to assure the proper management of public transportation and to receive and distribute State or federal operating assistance and to raise and distribute revenues for local operating assistance. System generated revenues are not adequate for such service and a public need exists to provide for, aid and assist public transportation in the northeastern area of the State, consisting of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties.

(ii) Comprehensive and coordinated regional public transportation is essential to the public health, safety and welfare. It is essential to economic well-being, maintenance of full employment, conservation of sources of energy and land for open space and reduction of traffic congestion and for providing and maintaining a healthful environment for the benefit of present and future generations in the metropolitan region. Public transportation improves the mobility of the public and improves access to jobs, commercial facilities, schools and cultural attractions. Public transportation decreases air pollution and other environmental hazards resulting from excessive use of automobiles and allows for more efficient land use and planning.

(iii) Because system generated receipts are not presently adequate, public transportation facilities and services in the northeastern area are in grave financial condition. With existing methods of financing, coordination and management, and relative convenience of automobiles, such public transportation facilities are not providing adequate public transportation to insure the public health, safety and welfare.

(iv) Additional commitments to the public transportation needs of persons with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, and the elderly are necessary.

(v) To solve these problems, it is necessary to provide for the creation of a regional transportation authority with the powers necessary to insure adequate public transportation.

(b) The General Assembly further finds, in connection with this amendatory Act of 1983:

(i) Substantial, recurring deficits in the operations of public transportation services subject to the jurisdiction of the Regional Transportation Authority and periodic cash shortages have occurred either of which could bring about a loss of public transportation services throughout the metropolitan region at any time;

(ii) A substantial or total loss of public transportation services or any segment thereof would create an emergency threatening the safety and well-being of the people in the northeastern area of the State; and

(iii) To meet the urgent needs of the people of the metropolitan region that such an emergency be averted and to provide financially sound methods of managing the provision of public transportation services in the northeastern area of the State, it is necessary, while maintaining and continuing the existing Authority, to modify the powers and responsibilities of the Authority, to reallocate responsibility for operating decisions, to change the composition and appointment of the Board of Directors thereof, and to immediately establish a new Board of Directors.

(c) The General Assembly further finds in connection with this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly:

(i) The economic vitality of northeastern Illinois requires regionwide and systemwide efforts to increase ridership on the transit systems, constrain road congestion within the metropolitan region, and allocate resources for transportation so as to assist in the development of an adequate, efficient, geographically equitable and coordinated regional transportation system that is in a state of good repair.

(ii) To achieve the purposes of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the powers and duties of the Authority must be enhanced to improve overall planning and coordination, to achieve an integrated and efficient regional transit system, to advance the mobility of transit users, and to increase financial transparency of the Authority and the Service Boards.

(d) It is the purpose of this Act to provide for, aid and assist public transportation in the northeastern area of the State without impairing the overall quality of existing public transportation by providing for the creation of a single authority responsive to the people and elected officials of the area and with the power and competence to develop, implement, and enforce plans that promote adequate, efficient, geographically equitable and coordinated public transportation, provide financial review of the providers of public transportation in the metropolitan region and facilitate public transportation provided by Service Boards which is attractive and economical to users, comprehensive, coordinated among its various elements, economical, safe, efficient and coordinated with area and State plans.

(Source: P.A. 98-1027, eff. 1-1-15; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-457)

Sec. 1.02. Findings and Purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds;

(1) Public transportation is, as provided in Section 7 of Article XIII of the Illinois Constitution, an essential public purpose for which public funds may be expended and that Section authorizes the State to provide financial assistance to units of local government for distribution to providers of public transportation. There is an urgent need to reform and continue a unit of local government to assure the proper management of public transportation and to receive and distribute State or federal operating assistance and to raise and distribute revenues for local operating assistance. System generated revenues are not adequate for such service and a public need exists to provide for, aid and assist public transportation in the northeastern area of the State, consisting of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties.

(2) Comprehensive and coordinated regional public transportation is essential to the public health, safety, and welfare. It is essential to economic well-being, maintenance of full employment, conservation of sources of energy and land for open space and reduction of traffic congestion and for providing and maintaining a healthful environment for the benefit of present and future generations in the metropolitan region. Public transportation improves access to jobs, commercial facilities, schools, and cultural attractions. Public transportation decreases air pollution and other environmental hazards resulting from excessive use of automobiles and allows for more efficient land use and planning.

(3) Transportation in the metropolitan region is being threatened by grave financial conditions. With existing methods of financing, coordination, structure, and management, the public transportation system is not providing adequate public transportation to ensure the public health, safety, and welfare.

(3.5) The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruption in public transportation ridership and operations from which the service providers have yet to fully recover and the pandemic-related federal funding support for public transportation operations has expired. Although ridership levels continue to improve from the lowest levels observed during the pandemic, net ridership levels have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Furthermore, the system experienced persistent losses in ridership, service quality, and financial stability for many years before the pandemic. These systemic issues, combined with the changes in passenger behaviors, experiences, and commuting patterns since the pandemic, create conditions untenable to a sustainable and thriving public transportation system.

(4) Additional commitments to the public transportation needs of persons with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, and the elderly are necessary. Further, additional commitments to the public transit needs of persons who currently reside in areas with limited, infrequent, or no public transit service are needed to eliminate existing public transit deserts and ensure that all residents of the metropolitan region have access to frequent, reliable, safe, and interconnected transit options.

(5) To solve these problems, it is necessary to provide for the creation and empowerment of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority with the powers necessary to insure adequate public transportation.

(b) (Blank).

(c) (Blank).

(d) It is the purpose of this Act to provide for, aid and assist public transportation in the northeastern area of the State without impairing the overall quality of existing public transportation by providing for the creation of a single authority responsive to the people and elected officials of the area and with the power and competence to develop, implement, and enforce plans that promote adequate, efficient, geographically equitable and coordinated public transportation, provide financial review of the providers of public transportation in the metropolitan region and facilitate public transportation provided by Service Boards which is attractive and economical to users, comprehensive, coordinated among its various elements, economical, safe, efficient and coordinated with area and State plans.

(e) It is the intent of this Act to continue and maintain the existence of the Regional Transportation Authority, notwithstanding a change in its name and appointment powers and authorities, and is in no way intended to change, modify, or restrict the rights of existing Regional Transit Authority bondholders or to change or repeal the non-impairment covenant in the current Regional Transportation Authority legislation.

(Source: P.A. 104-457, eff. 6-1-26.)