SB1938 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 12003 RTM 22098 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1938

Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

See Index

Creates the Road Usage Charge Act. Establishes the Road Usage Charge Advisory Committee to guide the development and evaluation of the road usage charge pilot program and to assess the potential for mileage-based revenue as an alternative to the current system of taxing highway use through motor fuel taxes. Sets forth the membership and duties of the committee. Requires the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of State and based on the recommendations of the Committee, to implement a statewide pilot program by January 1, 2026 to assess a user fee on owners of motor vehicles that is based on the number of miles traveled on public roadways in this State by those vehicles. Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that, on and after February 1, 2026, the Chicago Transit Board shall have 8 members (currently 7 members). Makes changes to the number of affirmative votes by Directors required to issue bonds. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that the Annual Budget and 2-Year Financial Plan must show that the aggregate of all projected fare revenues from fares and charges for mass transportation provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Service Boards received in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 shall equal at least 25%, and in fiscal years 2028 and 2029 and every year thereafter at least 15%, of the aggregate cost of providing such public transportation in those fiscal years. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, the Regional Transportation Authority shall be the sole agency responsible for the management and oversight of the fare collection systems used on all public transportation provided by the Service Boards. Makes changes to the membership of the Suburban Bus Board and the Commuter Rail Board. Makes changes to the number of affirmative votes required by the Directors of the Authority to approve decisions regarding the strategic plan, coordination of fares and service, appointment of officers and employees, paratransit services, powers of the Commuter Rail Board, labor, budget, taxes, distribution of revenues, issuing and pledging bonds and notes, budget review powers, the annual capital improvement plan, and rate protection contracts. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Illinois Road Usage Charge Act.

Section 5. Findings.

(a) The General Assembly finds and declares that an efficient and safe transportation system is critical for Illinois' economy and quality of life. The revenue currently available for highways and local roads is not adequate to preserve and maintain existing infrastructure and to provide funds for improvements that would incorporate safety factors, eliminate travel related injuries and fatalities, reduce congestion, and improve service.

(b) The General Assembly further recognizes that the gas tax is an ineffective mechanism for meeting Illinois' long-term revenue needs because it will steadily generate less revenue as cars become more fuel efficient and alternative sources of fuel are identified.

(c) The General Assembly further recognizes that other states have begun to explore the potential for a road usage charge to replace traditional motor fuel taxes, including the State of Oregon, which established the first permanent road user charge program in the nation. Road usage charging is a policy whereby motorists pay for the use of the roadway network based on the distance they travel. Drivers pay the same rate per mile driven, regardless of what part of the roadway network they use.

(d) The General Assembly, therefore, finds that experience to date in other states across the nation demonstrates that mileage-based charges can be implemented in a way that ensures data security and maximum privacy protection for drivers. It is important that Illinois begins to explore alternative revenue sources that may be implemented in lieu of the antiquated motor fuel tax structure now in place.

Section 10. Definitions.

"Committee" means the Road Usage Charge Advisory Committee.

"Department" means the Department of Transportation.

"Pilot Program" means the Road Usage Charge Pilot Program.

Section 15. Road Usage Charge Advisory Committee.

(a) The Road Usage Charge Advisory Committee is established to guide the development and evaluation of the road usage charge pilot program to assess the potential for mileage-based revenue as an alternative to the current system of taxing highway use through motor fuel taxes.

(b) The Committee shall consist of 10 members as follows:

(1) the Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary's designee;

(2) the Executive Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning or the Executive Director's designee;

(3) one member appointed by the Senate President;

(4) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) one member appointed by the chair of the standing committee of the Senate having primary jurisdiction over transportation;

(6) one member appointed by the standing committee of the House of Representatives having primary jurisdiction over transportation; and

(7) four members appointed by the Governor.

(c) The Committee shall:

(1) conduct at least 3 public hearings to gather public comment on issues and concerns related to the pilot program;

(2) make recommendations to the Department to establish the rules necessary for implementation of the pilot program, including a process for selecting volunteers, mileage reporting requirements, and privacy standards;

(3) make recommendations to the Department on the criteria to be used to evaluate the pilot program; and

(4) evaluate the pilot program.

(d) On request, the Department shall assist the Committee in implementing this Section.

Section 20. Pilot program.

(a) The Department, in consultation with the Secretary of State and based on the recommendations of the Committee, shall develop and implement a statewide pilot program by January 1, 2026 to assess a user fee on owners of motor vehicles that is based on the number of miles traveled on public roadways in this State by those vehicles.

(b) The pilot program must:

(1) include at least 1,000 motor vehicles;

(2) analyze alternative means of collecting road usage data, including at least one alternative that does not rely on electronic vehicle location data;

(3) test the reliability, ease of use, cost, and public acceptance of technology and methods for:

(A) counting the number of miles traveled by motor vehicles;

(B) reporting the number of miles traveled by particular vehicles; and

(C) collecting payments from participants in the pilot program;

(4) analyze and evaluate the ability of different technologies and methods to:

(A) protect the integrity of data collected and reported;

(B) ensure operators' privacy; and

(C) vary pricing based on the time of driving and type of public highway;

(5) evaluate the enforceability of the road usage charge and opportunities for operators to evade or manipulate the fee;

(6) evaluate the impact of the road usage charge on equity; and

(7) provide special consideration for privacy, including:

(A) collecting a minimum amount of personal information, including location tracking information, necessary to implement the pilot program; and

(B) ensuring that processes for collecting, managing, storing, transmitting, and destroying data are in place to protect the integrity of the data and safeguard the privacy of drivers.

(c) The Department shall ensure that participants in the pilot program:

(1) are included only on a voluntary basis; and

(2) represent a variety of motor vehicle operators, including operators of passenger vehicles, commercial motor vehicles, and electric vehicles.

(d) The pilot program may not last less than one year.

Section 25. Compensation of participants. The Department shall establish, by rule, a process to ensure that participants in the pilot program are not required to spend more on fees or taxes associated with road usage than if they had not participated in the program. A process adopted under this Section may include a refund of motor fuel taxes paid by the participant or other compensation.

Section 30. Report. Not later than 18 months after the implementation of the pilot program, the Department, working in conjunction with the Committee, shall submit to the General Assembly a report summarizing the results of the pilot program, including:

(1) the feasibility of permanently assessing a vehicle mileage user fee;

(2) the cost of the program;

(3) privacy concerns and perceptions;

(4) data collection technology, including a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of various types of data collection equipment and the privacy implications and consideration of the equipment;

(5) security and compliance, including a discussion of processes and security measures necessary to minimize fraud and tax evasion rates; and

(6) the Department's recommendations together with suggested legislation necessary to implement the recommendations.

Section 35. The Metropolitan Transit Authority Act is amended by changing Sections 12a, 12b, 12c, 19, 20, 22, 23, 28a, and 34 as follows:

(70 ILCS 3605/12a) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 312a)

Sec. 12a. (a) In addition to other powers provided in Section 12b, the Authority may issue its notes from time to time, in anticipation of tax receipts of the Regional Transportation Authority allocated to the Authority or of other revenues or receipts of the Authority, in order to provide money for the Authority to cover any cash flow deficit which the Authority anticipates incurring. Provided, however, that no such notes may be issued unless the annual cost thereof is incorporated in a budget or revised budget of the Authority which has been approved by the Regional Transportation Authority. Any such notes are referred to as "Working Cash Notes". Provided further that, the board shall not issue and have outstanding or demand and direct that the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority issue and have outstanding more than an aggregate of $40,000,000 in Working Cash Notes. No Working Cash Notes shall be issued for a term of longer than 18 months. Proceeds of Working Cash Notes may be used to pay day to day operating expenses of the Authority, consisting of wages, salaries and fringe benefits, professional and technical services (including legal, audit, engineering and other consulting services), office rental, furniture, fixtures and equipment, insurance premiums, claims for self-insured amounts under insurance policies, public utility obligations for telephone, light, heat and similar items, travel expenses, office supplies, postage, dues, subscriptions, public hearings and information expenses, fuel purchases, and payments of grants and payments under purchase of service agreements for operations of transportation agencies, prior to the receipt by the Authority from time to time of funds for paying such expenses. Proceeds of the Working Cash Notes shall not be used (i) to increase or provide a debt service reserve fund for any bonds or notes other than Working Cash Notes of the same Series, or (ii) to pay principal of or interest or redemption premium on any capital bonds or notes, whether as such amounts become due or by earlier redemption, issued by the Authority or a transportation agency to construct or acquire public transportation facilities, or to provide funds to purchase such capital bonds or notes.

(b) The ordinance providing for the issuance of any such notes shall fix the date or dates of maturity, the dates on which interest is payable, any sinking fund account or reserve fund account provisions and all other details of such notes and may provide for such covenants or agreements necessary or desirable with regard to the issue, sale and security of such notes. The Authority shall determine and fix the rate or rates of interest of its notes issued under this Act in an ordinance adopted by the Board prior to the issuance thereof, none of which rates of interest shall exceed that permitted in the Bond Authorization Act. Interest may be payable annually or semi-annually, or at such other times as determined by the Board. Notes issued under this Section may be issued as serial or term obligations, shall be of such denomination or denominations and form, including interest coupons to be attached thereto, be executed in such manner, shall be payable at such place or places and bear such date as the Board shall fix by the ordinance authorizing such note and shall mature at such time or times, within a period not to exceed 18 months from the date of issue, and may be redeemable prior to maturity with or without premium, at the option of the Board, upon such terms and conditions as the Board shall fix by the ordinance authorizing the issuance of such notes. The Board may provide for the registration of notes in the name of the owner as to the principal alone or as to both principal and interest, upon such terms and conditions as the Board may determine. The ordinance authorizing notes may provide for the exchange of such notes which are fully registered, as to both principal and interest, with notes which are registerable as to principal only. All notes issued under this Section by the Board shall be sold at a price which may be at a premium or discount but such that the interest cost (excluding any redemption premium) to the Board of the proceeds of an issue of such notes, computed to stated maturity according to standard tables of bond values, shall not exceed that permitted in the Bond Authorization Act. Such notes shall be sold at such time or times as the Board shall determine. The notes may be sold either upon competitive bidding or by negotiated sale (without any requirement of publication of intention to negotiate the sale of such notes), as the Board shall determine by ordinance adopted with the affirmative votes of at least 4 Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and with the affirmative votes of at least 5 Directors, beginning February 1 2026. In case any officer whose signature appears on any notes or coupons authorized pursuant to this Section shall cease to be such officer before delivery of such notes, such signature shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same as if such officer had remained in office until such delivery. Neither the Directors of the Regional Transportation Authority, the Directors of the Authority nor any person executing any bonds or notes thereof shall be liable personally on any such bonds or notes or coupons by reason of the issuance thereof.

(c) All notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section shall be general obligations of the Authority to which shall be pledged the full faith and credit of the Authority, as provided in this Section. Such notes shall be secured as provided in the authorizing ordinance, which may, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, include in addition to any other security, a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in any or all tax receipts of the Regional Transportation Authority allocated to the Authority and on any or all other revenues or moneys of the Authority from whatever source which may by law be utilized for debt service purposes and a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in any funds or accounts established or provided for by the ordinance of the Board authorizing the issuance of such notes. Any such pledge, assignment, lien or security interest for the benefit of holders of notes of the Authority shall be valid and binding from the time the notes are issued without any physical delivery or further act, and shall be valid and binding as against and prior to the claims of all other parties having claims of any kind against the Authority or any other person irrespective of whether such other parties have notice of such pledge, assignment, lien or security interest. The obligations of the Authority incurred pursuant to this Section shall be superior to and have priority over any other obligations of the Authority except for obligations under Section 12. The Board may provide in the ordinance authorizing the issuance of any notes issued pursuant to this Section for the creation of, deposits in, and regulation and disposition of sinking fund or reserve accounts relating to such notes. The ordinance authorizing the issuance of any notes pursuant to this Section may contain provisions as part of the contract with the holders of the notes, for the creation of a separate fund to provide for the payment of principal and interest on such notes and for the deposit in such fund from any or all the tax receipts of the Regional Transportation Authority allocated to the Authority and from any or all such other moneys or revenues of the Authority from whatever source which may by law be utilized for debt service purposes, all as provided in such ordinance, of amounts to meet the debt service requirements on such notes, including principal and interest, and any sinking fund or reserve fund account requirements as may be provided by such ordinance, and all expenses incident to or in connection with such fund and accounts or the payment of such notes. Such ordinance may also provide limitations on the issuance of additional notes of the Authority. No such notes of the Authority shall constitute a debt of the State of Illinois.

(d) The ordinance of the Board authorizing the issuance of any notes may provide additional security for such notes by providing for appointment of a corporate trustee (which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within the State) with respect to such notes. The ordinance shall prescribe the rights, duties and powers of the trustee to be exercised for the benefit of the Authority and the protection of the holders of such notes. The ordinance may provide for the trustee to hold in trust, invest and use amounts in funds and accounts created as provided by the ordinance with respect to the notes. The ordinance shall provide that amounts so paid to the trustee which are not required to be deposited, held or invested in funds and accounts created by the ordinance with respect to notes or used for paying notes to be paid by the trustee to the Authority.

(e) Any notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section shall constitute a contract between the Authority and the holders from time to time of such notes. In issuing any note, the Board may include in the ordinance authorizing such issue a covenant as part of the contract with the holders of the notes, that as long as such obligations are outstanding, it shall make such deposits, as provided in paragraph (c) of this Section. A certified copy of the ordinance authorizing the issuance of any such obligations shall be filed at or prior to the issuance of such obligations with the Regional Transportation Authority, Comptroller of the State of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Revenue.

(f) The State of Illinois pledges to and agrees with the holders of the notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section that the State will not limit or alter the rights and powers vested in the Authority by this Act or in the Regional Transportation Authority by the Regional Transportation Authority Act so as to impair the terms of any contract made by the Authority with such holders or in any way impair the rights and remedies of such holders until such notes, together with interest thereon, with interest on any unpaid installments of interest, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceedings by or on behalf of such holders, are fully met and discharged. In addition, the State pledges to and agrees with the holders of the notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section that the State will not limit or alter the basis on which State funds are to be paid to the Authority as provided in the Regional Transportation Authority Act, or the use of such funds, so as to impair the terms of any such contract. The Board is authorized to include these pledges and agreements of the State in any contract with the holders of bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section.

(g) The Board shall not at any time issue, sell or deliver any Interim Financing Notes pursuant to this Section which will cause it to have issued and outstanding at any time in excess of $40,000,000 of Working Cash Notes. Notes which are being paid or retired by such issuance, sale or delivery of notes, and notes for which sufficient funds have been deposited with the paying agency of such notes to provide for payment of principal and interest thereon or to provide for the redemption thereof, all pursuant to the ordinance authorizing the issuance of such notes, shall not be considered to be outstanding for the purposes of this paragraph.

(h) The Board, subject to the terms of any agreements with noteholders as may then exist, shall have power, out of any funds available therefor, to purchase notes of the Authority which shall thereupon be cancelled.

(i) In addition to any other authority granted by law, the State Treasurer may, with the approval of the Governor, invest or reinvest, at a price not to exceed par, any State money in the State Treasury which is not needed for current expenditures due or about to become due in Interim Financing Notes. In the event of a default on an interim financing note issued by the Chicago Transit Authority in which State money in the State treasury was invested, the Treasurer may, after giving notice to the Authority, certify to the Comptroller the amounts of the defaulted interim financing note, in accordance with any applicable rules of the Comptroller, and the Comptroller must deduct and remit to the State treasury the certified amounts or a portion of those amounts from the following proportions of payments of State funds to the Authority:

(1) in the first year after default, one-third of the total amount of any payments of State funds to the Authority;

(2) in the second year after default, two-thirds of the total amount of any payments of State funds to the Authority; and

(3) in the third year after default and for each year thereafter until the total invested amount is repaid, the total amount of any payments of State funds to the Authority.

(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17; 101-485, eff. 8-23-19.)

(70 ILCS 3605/12b) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 312b)

Sec. 12b. Working Cash Borrowing. In addition to the powers provided in Section 12a, the Board with the affirmative vote of 5 of its Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and with the affirmative vote of at least 6 of its Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, may demand and direct the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority to issue Working Cash Notes at such time and in such amounts and having such maturities as the Authority deems proper, provided however any such borrowing shall have been specifically identified in the budget of the Authority as approved by the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority. Provided further, that the Board may not issue and have outstanding or demand and direct the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority to issue and have outstanding more than an aggregate of $40,000,000 in Working Cash Notes.

(Source: P.A. 83-885; 83-886.)

(70 ILCS 3605/12c)

Sec. 12c. Retiree Benefits Bonds and Notes.

(a) In addition to all other bonds or notes that it is authorized to issue, the Authority is authorized to issue its bonds or notes for the purposes of providing funds for the Authority to make the deposits described in Section 12c(b)(1) and (2), for refunding any bonds authorized to be issued under this Section, as well as for the purposes of paying costs of issuance, obtaining bond insurance or other credit enhancement or liquidity facilities, paying costs of obtaining related swaps as authorized in the Bond Authorization Act ("Swaps"), providing a debt service reserve fund, paying Debt Service (as defined in paragraph (i) of this Section 12c), and paying all other costs related to any such bonds or notes.

(b)(1) After its receipt of a certified copy of a report of the Auditor General of the State of Illinois meeting the requirements of Section 3-2.3 of the Illinois State Auditing Act, the Authority may issue $1,348,550,000 aggregate original principal amount of bonds and notes. After payment of the costs of issuance and necessary deposits to funds and accounts established with respect to debt service, the net proceeds of such bonds or notes shall be deposited only in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees and used only for the purposes required by Section 22-101 of the Illinois Pension Code. Provided that no less than $1,110,500,000 has been deposited in the Retirement Plan, remaining proceeds of bonds issued under this subparagraph (b)(1) may be used to pay costs of issuance and make necessary deposits to funds and accounts with respect to debt service for bonds and notes issued under this subparagraph or subparagraph (b)(2).

(2) After its receipt of a certified copy of a report of the Auditor General of the State of Illinois meeting the requirements of Section 3-2.3 of the Illinois State Auditing Act, the Authority may issue $639,680,000 aggregate original principal amount of bonds and notes. After payment of the costs of issuance and necessary deposits to funds and accounts established with respect to debt service, the net proceeds of such bonds or notes shall be deposited only in the Retiree Health Care Trust and used only for the purposes required by Section 22-101B of the Illinois Pension Code. Provided that no less than $528,800,000 has been deposited in the Retiree Health Care Trust, remaining proceeds of bonds issued under this subparagraph (b)(2) may be used to pay costs of issuance and make necessary deposits to funds and accounts with respect to debt service for bonds and notes issued under this subparagraph or subparagraph (b)(1).

(3) In addition, refunding bonds are authorized to be issued for the purpose of refunding outstanding bonds or notes issued under this Section 12c.

(4) The bonds or notes issued under 12c(b)(1) shall be issued as soon as practicable after the Auditor General issues the report provided in Section 3-2.3(b) of the Illinois State Auditing Act. The bonds or notes issued under 12c(b)(2) shall be issued as soon as practicable after the Auditor General issues the report provided in Section 3-2.3(c) of the Illinois State Auditing Act.

(5) With respect to bonds and notes issued under subparagraph (b), scheduled aggregate annual payments of interest or deposits into funds and accounts established for the purpose of such payment shall commence within one year after the bonds and notes are issued. With respect to principal and interest, scheduled aggregate annual payments of principal and interest or deposits into funds and accounts established for the purpose of such payment shall be not less than 70% in 2009, 80% in 2010, and 90% in 2011, respectively, of scheduled payments or deposits of principal and interest in 2012 and shall be substantially equal beginning in 2012 and each year thereafter. For purposes of this subparagraph (b), "substantially equal" means that debt service in any full year after calendar year 2011 is not more than 115% of debt service in any other full year after calendar year 2011 during the term of the bonds or notes. For the purposes of this subsection (b), with respect to bonds and notes that bear interest at a variable rate, interest shall be assumed at a rate equal to the rate for United States Treasury Securities - State and Local Government Series for the same maturity, plus 75 basis points. If the Authority enters into a Swap with a counterparty requiring the Authority to pay a fixed interest rate on a notional amount, and the Authority has made a determination that such Swap was entered into for the purpose of providing substitute interest payments for variable interest rate bonds or notes of a particular maturity or maturities in a principal amount equal to the notional amount of the Swap, then during the term of the Swap for purposes of any calculation of interest payable on such bonds or notes, the interest rate on the bonds or notes of such maturity or maturities shall be determined as if such bonds or notes bore interest at the fixed interest rate payable by the Authority under such Swap.

(6) No bond or note issued under this Section 12c shall mature later than December 31, 2040.

(c) The Chicago Transit Board shall provide for the issuance of bonds or notes as authorized in this Section 12c by the adoption of an ordinance. The ordinance, together with the bonds or notes, shall constitute a contract among the Authority, the owners from time to time of the bonds or notes, any bond trustee with respect to the bonds or notes, any related credit enhancer and any provider of any related Swaps.

(d) The Authority is authorized to cause the proceeds of the bonds or notes, and any interest or investment earnings on the bonds or notes, and of any Swaps, to be invested until the proceeds and any interest or investment earnings have been deposited with the Retirement Plan or the Retiree Health Care Trust.

(e) Bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section 12c may be general obligations of the Authority, to which shall be pledged the full faith and credit of the Authority, or may be obligations payable solely from particular sources of funds all as may be provided in the authorizing ordinance. The authorizing ordinance for the bonds and notes, whether or not general obligations of the Authority, may provide for the Debt Service (as defined in paragraph (i) of this Section 12c) to have a claim for payment from particular sources of funds, including, without limitation, amounts to be paid to the Authority or a bond trustee. The authorizing ordinance may provide for the means by which the bonds or notes (and any related Swaps) may be secured, which may include, a pledge of any revenues or funds of the Authority from whatever source which may by law be utilized for paying Debt Service. In addition to any other security, upon the written approval of the Regional Transportation Authority by the affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, the ordinance may provide a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in amounts to be paid to the Authority by the Regional Transportation Authority and direct payment thereof to the bond trustee for payment of Debt Service with respect to the bonds or notes, subject to the provisions of existing lease agreements of the Authority with any public building commission. The authorizing ordinance may also provide a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in and direct payment to the trustee of all or a portion of the moneys otherwise payable to the Authority from the City of Chicago pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement with the Authority to provide financial assistance to the Authority. Any such pledge, assignment, lien or security interest for the benefit of owners of bonds or notes shall be valid and binding from the time the bonds or notes are issued, without any physical delivery or further act, and shall be valid and binding as against and prior to the claims of all other parties having claims of any kind against the Authority or any other person, irrespective of whether such other parties have notice of such pledge, assignment, lien or security interest, all as provided in the Local Government Debt Reform Act, as it may be amended from time to time. The bonds or notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section 12c shall have such priority of payment and as to their claim for payment from particular sources of funds, including their priority with respect to obligations of the Authority issued under other Sections of this Act, all as shall be provided in the ordinances authorizing the issuance of the bonds or notes. The ordinance authorizing the issuance of any bonds or notes under this Section may provide for the creation of, deposits in, and regulation and disposition of sinking fund or reserve accounts relating to those bonds or notes and related agreements. The ordinance authorizing the issuance of any such bonds or notes authorized under this Section 12c may contain provisions for the creation of a separate fund to provide for the payment of principal of and interest on those bonds or notes and related agreements. The ordinance may also provide limitations on the issuance of additional bonds or notes of the Authority.

(f) Bonds or notes issued under this Section 12c shall not constitute an indebtedness of the Regional Transportation Authority, the State of Illinois, or of any other political subdivision of or municipality within the State, except the Authority.

(g) The ordinance of the Chicago Transit Board authorizing the issuance of bonds or notes pursuant to this Section 12c may provide for the appointment of a corporate trustee (which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within Illinois) with respect to bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section 12c. The ordinance shall prescribe the rights, duties, and powers of the trustee to be exercised for the benefit of the Authority and the protection of the owners of bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section 12c. The ordinance may provide for the trustee to hold in trust, invest and use amounts in funds and accounts created as provided by the ordinance with respect to the bonds or notes in accordance with this Section 12c. The Authority may apply, as it shall determine, any amounts received upon the sale of the bonds or notes to pay any Debt Service on the bonds or notes. The ordinance may provide for a trust indenture to set forth terms of, sources of payment for and security for the bonds and notes.

(h) The State of Illinois pledges to and agrees with the owners of the bonds or notes issued pursuant to Section 12c that the State of Illinois will not limit the powers vested in the Authority by this Act to pledge and assign its revenues and funds as security for the payment of the bonds or notes, or vested in the Regional Transportation Authority by the Regional Transportation Authority Act or this Act, so as to materially impair the payment obligations of the Authority under the terms of any contract made by the Authority with those owners or to materially impair the rights and remedies of those owners until those bonds or notes, together with interest and any redemption premium, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceedings by or on behalf of such owners are fully met and discharged. The Authority is authorized to include these pledges and agreements of the State of Illinois in any contract with owners of bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section 12c.

(i) For purposes of this Section, "Debt Service" with respect to bonds or notes includes, without limitation, principal (at maturity or upon mandatory redemption), redemption premium, interest, periodic, upfront, and termination payments on Swaps, fees for bond insurance or other credit enhancement, liquidity facilities, the funding of bond or note reserves, bond trustee fees, and all other costs of providing for the security or payment of the bonds or notes.

(j) The Authority shall adopt a procurement program with respect to contracts relating to the following service providers in connection with the issuance of debt for the benefit of the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees: underwriters, bond counsel, financial advisors, and accountants. The program shall include goals for the payment of not less than 30% of the total dollar value of the fees from these contracts to minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses as defined in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. The Authority shall conduct outreach to minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses. Outreach shall include, but is not limited to, advertisements in periodicals and newspapers, mailings, and other appropriate media. The Authority shall submit to the General Assembly a comprehensive report that shall include, at a minimum, the details of the procurement plan, outreach efforts, and the results of the efforts to achieve goals for the payment of fees. The service providers selected by the Authority pursuant to such program shall not be subject to approval by the Regional Transportation Authority, and the Regional Transportation Authority's approval pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 12c related to the issuance of debt shall not be based in any way on the service providers selected by the Authority pursuant to this Section.

(k) No person holding an elective office in this State, holding a seat in the General Assembly, serving as a director, trustee, officer, or employee of the Regional Transportation Authority or the Chicago Transit Authority, including the spouse or minor child of that person, may receive a legal, banking, consulting, or other fee related to the issuance of any bond issued by the Chicago Transit Authority pursuant to this Section.

(Source: P.A. 100-391, eff. 8-25-17.)

(70 ILCS 3605/19) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 319)

Sec. 19. Chicago Transit Board.

(a) Until February 1, 2026, the The governing and administrative body of the Authority shall be a board consisting of 7 seven members, to be known as Chicago Transit Board.

(b) On and after February 1, 2026, the governing and administrative body of the authority shall be a board consisting of 8 members, to be known as the Chicago Transit Board.

(1) 6 members shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago with the advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago. The members appointed under this paragraph (1) shall reside within the City of Chicago and one of these members shall be a representative of organized labor.

The member representing organized labor shall be selected from a list of 3 persons recommended by the president of a countywide labor council body representing more than 30 labor organizations recognized under the National Labor Relations Act or the Railway Labor Act located within a county with a population of at least 3,000,000 inhabitants. If such a member has not been appointed within 60 days for the initial term, or appointed within 60 days of the expiration of a term or a vacancy in the office, the first person on the list provided to the Mayor will automatically assume the office.

(2) 2 members shall be appointed by the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners with the advice and consent of the members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. The members appointed under this paragraph (2) shall reside in the part of Cook County outside the City of Chicago.

(c) To implement the changes in appointing authority under subsection (b) of this Section, the following provisions apply:

(1) Members who are appointed to the Chicago Transit Board by the Mayor of Chicago under subsection (a) of Section 20 and who are serving on the Board on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall retain their offices until January 31, 2026 or until the expiration of a term of office or a vacancy in their respective office. Upon expiration of a term of office or vacancy prior to January 31, 2028, these offices shall be filled under subsection (a) of Section 20.

(2) The Mayor of Chicago shall appoint 6 members to the Chicago Transit Board under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Section, to begin their terms of office on February 1, 2026, and their appointments shall be made in time to begin their terms of office on February 1, 2026. A member serving as a member on January 31, 2026 may be reappointed to the Board. Of the members appointed to begin their terms of office on February 1, 2026, the Mayor of Chicago shall appoint 3 members with 4-year terms and 3 members with 2-year terms. Subsequent terms of office for all members shall be 4 years.

(3) Members who are appointed to the Chicago Transit Board by the Governor under subsection (a) of Section 20 and who were serving on Board on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall retain their offices until January 31, 2026. Upon the expiration of a term of office or a vacancy prior to January 31, 2026, these offices shall be filled under subsection (a) of Section 20.

(4) Members appointed to the Chicago Transit Board under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this Section will begin their terms of office on February 1, 2026, and their appointments shall be made in time to begin their terms of office on February 1, 2026. Of the members appointed to begin their terms on February 1, 2026, the President of the Cook County Board shall appoint one member with a 4-year term and one member with a 2-year term. Subsequent terms of office of all members shall be 4 years.

(d) Members of the Board shall be residents of the metropolitan area and persons of recognized business ability. Members shall have diverse and substantial relevant experience and expertise in overseeing the planning, operation, and funding of a public transportation system, including, but not limited to, backgrounds in urban and regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor and workforce development, business management, public administration, transportation, and transit and ridership advocacy. No member of the Board of the Authority shall hold any other office or employment under the Federal, State or any County or any municipal government, or any other unit of local government, except an honorary office without compensation or an office in the National Guard. No employee of the Authority shall hold any other office or employment under the Federal, State or any County or any municipal government, or any other unit of local government, except an office with compensation not exceeding $15,000 annually or a position in the National Guard or the United States military reserves. Provided, however, that the Chairman may be a member of the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority. No member of the Board or employee of the Authority shall have any private financial interest, profit or benefit in any contract, work or business of the Authority nor in the sale or lease of any property to or from the Authority. The salary of each member of the initial Board shall be $15,000.00 per annum, and such salary shall not be increased or diminished during his or her term of office. The salaries of successor members of the Board shall be fixed by the Board and shall not be increased or diminished during their respective terms of office. No Board member shall be allowed any fees, perquisites or emoluments, reward or compensation for his or her services as a member or officer of the Authority aside from his or her salary or pension, but he or she shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred by him or her in the performance of his or her duties.

(Source: P.A. 98-709, eff. 7-16-14.)

(70 ILCS 3605/20) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 320)

Sec. 20. Terms; vacancies.

(a) Until February 1, 2026 Within sixty (60) days after the adoption of this Act by the electors of one or more cities, villages and incorporated towns within the metropolitan area having a population in the aggregate of at least 100,000 according to the Federal census of 1940, the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint three members of the Board for initial terms expiring September first of the years 1947, 1948 and 1949, respectively, at least one of which members shall be a resident of that portion of the metropolitan area which is outside the corporate limits of the City of Chicago, and the Mayor, with advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago, shall appoint 4 four members of the Board for initial terms expiring September first of the years 1946, 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively. At the expiration of the term of any member appointed by the Governor his successor shall be appointed by the Governor, and at the expiration of the term of any member appointed by the Mayor his successor shall be appointed by the Mayor in like manner, and with like regard as to the place of residence of the appointee, as appointments for the initial terms. All successors shall hold office for the term of 7 seven years from the first day of September of the year in which they are appointed, except in case of an appointment to fill a vacancy. In case of vacancy in the office of any member appointed by the Governor during the recess of the Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate when he shall nominate some person to fill such office; and any person so nominated, who is confirmed by the Senate, shall hold his office during the remainder of the term and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified. If the Senate is not in session at the time this Act takes effect, the Governor shall make temporary appointments as in case of vacancies. Each appointment by the Governor shall be subject to approval by the Mayor, and each appointment by the Mayor shall be subject to approval by the Governor and, when so approved, the Governor and the Mayor shall certify their respective appointments and approvals to the Secretary of State. If the Governor or the Mayor does not approve or disapprove the appointment by the Mayor or the Governor, respectively, within 15 days after receipt thereof, the person is appointed. Within thirty days after certification and approval of his appointment, and before entering upon the duties of his office, each member of the Board shall take and subscribe the constitutional oath of office and file it in the office of the Secretary of State.

(b) Beginning February 1, 2026, each board member shall hold office for a term of 4 years and until the member's successor has been appointed and has qualified. A vacancy shall occur upon resignation, death, conviction of a felony, or removal from office. Any member may be removed from office (i) upon concurrence vote of 6 of the then-serving board members, on a formal finding of incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office or (ii) by the Governor in response to a summary report received from the Executive Inspector General in accordance with Section 10-50 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, provided the member has an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel before removal. Within 30 days after the office of any member becomes vacant for any reason, the appointing authorities of the member shall make an appointment to fill the vacancy. A vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term of the member.

(Source: P.A. 79-938.)

(70 ILCS 3605/22) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 322)

Sec. 22. As soon as possible after the appointment of the initial members, the board shall organize for the transaction of business, select a chairman and a temporary secretary from its own number, and adopt by-laws, rules and regulations to govern its proceedings. The initial chairman and successors shall be elected by the Board from time to time for the term of his office as a member of the Board or for the term of three years, whichever is shorter.

As soon as possible after the appointment of the members of the Board on February 1, 2026, the board shall organize for the transaction of business and select a chairman and a temporary secretary from its own number. The Board shall fix the salary of the chairman in addition to his salary as a member of the Board, which shall not be increased or diminished during his term of office as chairman. But if the chairman is engaged in any other business or employment during his term as chairman, his annual salary shall be not more than $25,000.

(Source: P.A. 80-937.)

(70 ILCS 3605/23) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 323)

Sec. 23. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at least once in each calendar month, the time and place of such meetings to be fixed by the Board. Until February 1, 2026, 4 Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and, beginning February 1, 2026, 5 members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. All action of the Board shall be by ordinance or resolution, and the affirmative vote of at least 4 four members, prior to February 1, 2026, or at least 5 members, beginning February 1, 2026, shall be necessary for the adoption of any ordinance or resolution. All such ordinances and resolutions before taking effect shall be approved by the chairman of the Board, and if he shall approve thereof he shall sign the same, and such as he shall not approve he shall return to the Board with his objections thereto in writing at the next regular meeting of the Board occurring after the passage thereof. But in case the chairman shall fail to return any ordinance or resolution with his objections thereto by the time aforesaid, he shall be deemed to have approved the same and it shall take effect accordingly. Upon the return of any ordinance or resolution by the chairman with his objections, the vote by which the same was passed shall be reconsidered by the Board, and if upon such reconsideration said ordinance or resolution is passed by the affirmative vote of at least 5 five members, prior to February 1, 2026, and at least 6 members, beginning February 1, 2026, it shall go into effect notwithstanding the veto of the chairman. All ordinances, resolutions and all proceedings of the Authority and all documents and records in its possession shall be public records, and open to public inspection, except such documents and records as shall be kept or prepared by the Board for use in negotiations, action or proceedings to which the Authority is a party.

Open meetings of the Board shall be broadcast to the public and maintained in real-time on the Board's website using a high-speed Internet connection. Recordings of each meeting broadcast shall be posted to the Board's website within a reasonable time after the meeting and shall be maintained as public records to the extent practicable, as determined by the Board. Compliance with the provisions of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly does not relieve the Board of its obligations under the Open Meetings Act.

(Source: P.A. 98-1139, eff. 6-1-15.)

(70 ILCS 3605/28a) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 328a)

Sec. 28a. (a) The Board may deal with and enter into written contracts with the employees of the Authority through accredited representatives of such employees or representatives of any labor organization authorized to act for such employees, concerning wages, salaries, hours, working conditions and pension or retirement provisions; provided, nothing herein shall be construed to permit hours of labor in excess of those provided by law or to permit working conditions prohibited by law. In case of dispute over wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, or pension or retirement provisions the Board may arbitrate any question or questions and may agree with such accredited representatives or labor organization that the decision of a majority of any arbitration board shall be final, provided each party shall agree in advance to pay half of the expense of such arbitration.

No contract or agreement shall be made with any labor organization, association, group or individual for the employment of members of such organization, association, group or individual for the construction, improvement, maintenance, operation or administration of any property, plant or facilities under the jurisdiction of the Authority, where such organization, association, group or individual denies on the ground of race, creed, color, sex, religion, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, or national origin membership and equal opportunities for employment to any citizen of Illinois.

(b)(1) The provisions of this paragraph (b) apply to collective bargaining agreements (including extensions and amendments of existing agreements) entered into on or after January 1, 1984.

(2) The Board shall deal with and enter into written contracts with their employees, through accredited representatives of such employees authorized to act for such employees concerning wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, and pension or retirement provisions about which a collective bargaining agreement has been entered prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983. Any such agreement of the Authority shall provide that the agreement may be reopened if the amended budget submitted pursuant to Section 2.18a of the Regional Transportation Authority Act is not approved by the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority. The agreement may not include a provision requiring the payment of wage increases based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. The Board shall not have the authority to enter into collective bargaining agreements with respect to inherent management rights, which include such areas of discretion or policy as the functions of the employer, standards of services, its overall budget, the organizational structure and selection of new employees and direction of personnel. Employers, however, shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to policy matters directly affecting wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment, as well as the impact thereon upon request by employee representatives. To preserve the rights of employers and exclusive representatives which have established collective bargaining relationships or negotiated collective bargaining agreements prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983, employers shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to any matter concerning wages, hours or conditions of employment about which they have bargained prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983.

(3) The collective bargaining agreement may not include a prohibition on the use of part-time operators on any service operated by or funded by the Board, except where prohibited by federal law.

(4) Within 30 days of the signing of any such collective bargaining agreement, the Board shall determine the costs of each provision of the agreement, prepare an amended budget incorporating the costs of the agreement, and present the amended budget to the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority for its approval under Section 4.11 of the Regional Transportation Act. The Board of the Regional Transportation Authority may approve the amended budget by an affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by an affirmative vote of at least 14 Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. If the budget is not approved by the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority, the agreement may be reopened and its terms may be renegotiated. Any amended budget which may be prepared following renegotiation shall be presented to the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority for its approval in like manner.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(70 ILCS 3605/34) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 334)

Sec. 34. Budget and Program. The Authority, subject to the powers of the Regional Transportation Authority in Section 4.11 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act, shall control the finances of the Authority. It shall by ordinance appropriate money to perform the Authority's purposes and provide for payment of debts and expenses of the Authority. Each year the Authority shall prepare and publish a comprehensive annual budget and five-year capital program document, and a financial plan for the 2 years thereafter describing the state of the Authority and presenting for the forthcoming fiscal year and the two following years the Authority's plans for such operations and capital expenditures as it intends to undertake and the means by which it intends to finance them. The proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall be based on the Regional Transportation Authority's estimate of funds to be made available to the Authority by or through the Regional Transportation Authority and shall conform in all respects to the requirements established by the Regional Transportation Authority. The proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall contain a statement of the funds estimated to be on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year, the funds estimated to be received from all sources for such year and the funds estimated to be on hand at the end of such year. The proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall be available at no cost for public inspection at the Authority's main office and at the Regional Transportation Authority's main office at least 3 weeks prior to any public hearing. Before the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program are submitted to the Regional Transportation Authority, the Authority shall hold at least one public hearing thereon in each of the counties in which the Authority provides service. All Board members of the Authority shall attend a majority of the public hearings unless reasonable cause is given for their absence. After the public hearings, the Board of the Authority shall hold at least one meeting for consideration of the proposed program and budget with the Cook County Board. Prior to the capital program being submitted to the Regional Transportation Authority, the Authority shall hold at least one meeting for consideration of the proposed 5-year capital program with representatives of labor organizations that have a collective bargaining agreement with the Authority. After conducting such hearings and holding such meetings and after making such changes in the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program as the Board deems appropriate, it shall adopt an annual budget ordinance at least by November 15th preceding the beginning of each fiscal year. The budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall then be submitted to the Regional Transportation Authority as provided in Section 4.11 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act. In the event that the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority determines that the budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program do not meet the standards of said Section 4.11, the Board of the Authority shall make such changes as are necessary to meet such requirements and adopt an amended budget ordinance. The amended budget ordinance shall be resubmitted to the Regional Transportation Authority pursuant to said Section 4.11. The ordinance shall appropriate such sums of money as are deemed necessary to defray all necessary expenses and obligations of the Authority, specifying purposes and the objects or programs for which appropriations are made and the amount appropriated for each object or program. Additional appropriations, transfers between items and other changes in such ordinance which do not alter the basis upon which the balanced budget determination was made by the Regional Transportation Authority may be made from time to time by the Board.

The budget shall:

(i) show a balance between (A) anticipated revenues from all sources including operating subsidies and (B) the costs of providing the services specified and of funding any operating deficits or encumbrances incurred in prior periods, including provision for payment when due of principal and interest on outstanding indebtedness;

(ii) show cash balances including the proceeds of any anticipated cash flow borrowing sufficient to pay with reasonable promptness all costs and expenses as incurred;

(iii) provide for a level of fares or charges and operating or administrative costs for the public transportation provided by or subject to the jurisdiction of the Board sufficient to allow the Board to meet its required system generated revenue recovery ratio as determined in accordance with subsection (a) of Section 4.11 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act;

(iv) be based upon and employ assumptions and projections which are reasonable and prudent;

(v) have been prepared in accordance with sound financial practices as determined by the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority;

(vi) meet such other financial, budgetary, or fiscal requirements that the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority may by rule or regulation establish; and

(vii) be consistent with the goals and objectives adopted by the Regional Transportation Authority in the Strategic Plan.

The Board shall establish a fiscal operating year. At least thirty days prior to the beginning of the first full fiscal year after the creation of the Authority, and annually thereafter, the Board shall cause to be prepared a tentative budget which shall include all operation and maintenance expense for the ensuing fiscal year. The tentative budget shall be considered by the Board and, subject to any revision and amendments as may be determined, shall be adopted prior to the first day of the ensuing fiscal year as the budget for that year. No expenditures for operations and maintenance in excess of the budget shall be made during any fiscal year except by the affirmative vote of at least 5 five members of the Board, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 6 members, beginning February 1, 2026. It shall not be necessary to include in the annual budget any statement of necessary expenditures for pensions or retirement annuities, or for interest or principal payments on bonds or certificates, or for capital outlays, but it shall be the duty of the Board to make provision for payment of same from appropriate funds. The Board may not alter its fiscal year without the prior approval of the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3605/21 rep.)

Section 40. The Metropolitan Transit Authority Act is amended by repealing Section 21.

Section 45. The Regional Transportation Authority Act is amended by changing Sections 2.01, 2.01a, 2.01b, 2.01c, 2.04, 2.05, 2.08, 2.12b, 2.14, 2.18a, 2.30, 3.01, 3.03, 3.05, 3A.02, 3A.09, 3A.10, 3A.14, 3B.02, 3B.09, 3B.10, 3B.13, 4.01, 4.03, 4.03.3, 4.04, 4.09, 4.11, 4.13, and 4.14 and by adding Sections 2.08a, 2.43, and 2.44 as follows:

(70 ILCS 3615/2.01) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 702.01)

Sec. 2.01. General Allocation of Responsibility for Public Transportation.

(a) In order to accomplish the purposes as set forth in this Act, the responsibility for planning, operating, and funding public transportation in the metropolitan region shall be allocated as described in this Act. The Authority shall:

(i) adopt plans that implement the public policy of the State to provide adequate, efficient, geographically equitable and coordinated public transportation throughout the metropolitan region;

(ii) set goals, objectives, and standards for the Authority, the Service Boards, and transportation agencies;

(iii) develop performance measures to inform the public about the extent to which the provision of public transportation in the metropolitan region meets those goals, objectives, and standards;

(iv) allocate operating and capital funds made available to support public transportation in the metropolitan region;

(v) provide financial oversight of the Service Boards; and

(vi) coordinate the provision of public transportation and the investment in public transportation facilities to enhance the integration of public transportation throughout the metropolitan region, all as provided in this Act.

The Service Boards shall, on a continuing basis determine the level, nature and kind of public transportation which should be provided for the metropolitan region in order to meet the plans, goals, objectives, and standards adopted by the Authority. The Service Boards may provide public transportation by purchasing such service from transportation agencies through purchase of service agreements, by grants to such agencies or by operating such service, all pursuant to this Act and the "Metropolitan Transit Authority Act", as now or hereafter amended. Certain of its actions to implement the responsibilities allocated to the Authority in this subsection (a) shall be taken in 3 public documents adopted by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026: A Strategic Plan; a Five-Year Capital Program; and an Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan.

(b) The Authority shall subject the operating and capital plans and expenditures of the Service Boards in the metropolitan region with regard to public transportation to continuing review so that the Authority may budget and expend its funds with maximum effectiveness and efficiency. The Authority shall conduct audits of each of the Service Boards no less than every 5 years. Such audits may include management, performance, financial, and infrastructure condition audits. The Authority may conduct management, performance, financial, and infrastructure condition audits of transportation agencies that receive funds from the Authority. The Authority may direct a Service Board to conduct any such audit of a transportation agency that receives funds from such Service Board, and the Service Board shall comply with such request to the extent it has the right to do so. These audits of the Service Boards or transportation agencies may be project or service specific audits to evaluate their achievement of the goals and objectives of that project or service and their compliance with any applicable requirements.

(Source: P.A. 98-1027, eff. 1-1-15.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.01a)

Sec. 2.01a. Strategic Plan.

(a) By the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, the Authority shall adopt a Strategic Plan, no less than every 5 years, after consultation with the Service Boards and after holding a minimum of 3 public hearings in Cook County and one public hearing in each of the other counties in the region. The Executive Director of the Authority shall review the Strategic Plan on an ongoing basis and make recommendations to the Board of the Authority with respect to any update or amendment of the Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan shall describe the specific actions to be taken by the Authority and the Service Boards to provide adequate, efficient, and coordinated public transportation.

(b) The Strategic Plan shall identify goals and objectives with respect to:

(i) increasing ridership and passenger miles on public transportation funded by the Authority;

(ii) coordination of public transportation services and the investment in public transportation facilities to enhance the integration of public transportation throughout the metropolitan region;

(iii) coordination of fare and transfer policies to promote transfers by riders among Service Boards, transportation agencies, and public transportation modes, which may include goals and objectives for development of a universal fare instrument that riders may use interchangeably on all public transportation funded by the Authority, and methods to be used to allocate revenues from transfers;

(iv) improvements in public transportation facilities to bring those facilities into a state of good repair, enhancements that attract ridership and improve customer service, and expansions needed to serve areas with sufficient demand for public transportation;

(v) access for transit-dependent populations, including access by low-income communities to places of employment, utilizing analyses provided by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning regarding employment and transportation availability, and giving consideration to the location of employment centers in each county and the availability of public transportation at off-peak hours and on weekends;

(vi) the financial viability of the public transportation system, including both operating and capital programs;

(vii) limiting road congestion within the metropolitan region and enhancing transit options to improve mobility; and

(viii) such other goals and objectives that advance the policy of the State to provide adequate, efficient, geographically equitable and coordinated public transportation in the metropolitan region.

(c) The Strategic Plan shall establish the process and criteria by which proposals for capital improvements by a Service Board or a transportation agency will be evaluated by the Authority for inclusion in the Five-Year Capital Program, which may include criteria for:

(i) allocating funds among maintenance, enhancement, and expansion improvements;

(ii) projects to be funded from the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund;

(iii) projects intended to improve or enhance ridership or customer service;

(iv) design and location of station or transit improvements intended to promote transfers, increase ridership, and support transit-oriented land development;

(v) assessing the impact of projects on the ability to operate and maintain the existing transit system; and

(vi) other criteria that advance the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan.

(d) The Strategic Plan shall establish performance standards and measurements regarding the adequacy, efficiency, geographic equity and coordination of public transportation services in the region and the implementation of the goals and objectives in the Strategic Plan. At a minimum, such standards and measures shall include customer-related performance data measured by line, route, or sub-region, as determined by the Authority, on the following:

(i) travel times and on-time performance;

(ii) ridership data;

(iii) equipment failure rates;

(iv) employee and customer safety; and

(v) customer satisfaction.

The Service Boards and transportation agencies that receive funding from the Authority or Service Boards shall prepare, publish, and submit to the Authority such reports with regard to these standards and measurements in the frequency and form required by the Authority; however, the frequency of such reporting shall be no less than annual. The Service Boards shall publish such reports on their respective websites. The Authority shall compile and publish such reports on its website. Such performance standards and measures shall not be used as the basis for disciplinary action against any employee of the Authority or Service Boards, except to the extent the employment and disciplinary practices of the Authority or Service Board provide for such action.

(e) The Strategic Plan shall identify innovations to improve the delivery of public transportation and the construction of public transportation facilities.

(f) The Strategic Plan shall describe the expected financial condition of public transportation in the metropolitan region prospectively over a 10-year period, which may include information about the cash position and all known obligations of the Authority and the Service Boards including operating expenditures, debt service, contributions for payment of pension and other post-employment benefits, the expected revenues from fares, tax receipts, grants from the federal, State, and local governments for operating and capital purposes and issuance of debt, the availability of working capital, and the resources needed to achieve the goals and objectives described in the Strategic Plan.

(g) In developing the Strategic Plan, the Authority shall rely on such demographic and other data, forecasts, and assumptions developed by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning with respect to the patterns of population density and growth, projected commercial and residential development, and environmental factors, within the metropolitan region and in areas outside the metropolitan region that may impact public transportation utilization in the metropolitan region. The Authority shall also consult with the Illinois Department of Transportation's Office of Planning and Programming when developing the Strategic Plan. Before adopting or amending any Strategic Plan, the Authority shall consult with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning regarding the consistency of the Strategic Plan with the Regional Comprehensive Plan adopted pursuant to the Regional Planning Act.

(h) The Authority may adopt, by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, sub-regional or corridor plans for specific geographic areas of the metropolitan region in order to improve the adequacy, efficiency, geographic equity and coordination of existing, or the delivery of new, public transportation. Such plans may also address areas outside the metropolitan region that may impact public transportation utilization in the metropolitan region. In preparing a sub-regional or corridor plan, the Authority may identify changes in operating practices or capital investment in the sub-region or corridor that could increase ridership, reduce costs, improve coordination, or enhance transit-oriented development. The Authority shall consult with any affected Service Boards in the preparation of any sub-regional or corridor plans.

(i) If the Authority determines, by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, that, with respect to any proposed new public transportation service or facility, (i) multiple Service Boards or transportation agencies are potential service providers and (ii) the public transportation facilities to be constructed or purchased to provide that service have an expected construction cost of more than $25,000,000, the Authority shall have sole responsibility for conducting any alternatives analysis and preliminary environmental assessment required by federal or State law. Nothing in this subparagraph (i) shall prohibit a Service Board from undertaking alternatives analysis and preliminary environmental assessment for any public transportation service or facility identified in items (i) and (ii) above that is included in the Five-Year Capital Program as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly; however, any expenditure related to any such public transportation service or facility must be included in a Five-Year Capital Program under the requirements of Sections 2.01b and 4.02 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 98-1027, eff. 1-1-15.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.01b)

Sec. 2.01b. The Five-Year Capital Program. By the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, the Authority, after consultation with the Service Boards and after holding a minimum of 3 public hearings in Cook County and one public hearing in each of the other counties in the metropolitan region, shall each year adopt a Five-Year Capital Program that shall include each capital improvement to be undertaken by or on behalf of a Service Board provided that the Authority finds that the improvement meets any criteria for capital improvements contained in the Strategic Plan, is not inconsistent with any sub-regional or corridor plan adopted by the Authority, and can be funded within amounts available with respect to the capital and operating costs of such improvement. In reviewing proposals for improvements to be included in a Five-Year Capital Program, the Authority may give priority to improvements that are intended to bring public transportation facilities into a state of good repair. The Five-Year Capital Program shall also identify capital improvements to be undertaken by a Service Board, a transportation agency, or a unit of local government and funded by the Authority from amounts in the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund, provided that no improvement that is included in the Five-Year Capital Program as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly may receive funding from the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund. Before adopting a Five-Year Capital Program, the Authority shall consult with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning regarding the consistency of the Five-Year Capital Program with the Regional Comprehensive Plan adopted pursuant to the Regional Planning Act.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.01c)

Sec. 2.01c. Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund.

(a) The Authority shall establish an Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund and deposit into the Fund an amount equal to $10,000,000 in 2008, and, each year thereafter, an amount equal to the amount deposited in the previous year increased or decreased by the percentage growth or decline in revenues received by the Authority from taxes imposed under Section 4.03 in the previous year. Amounts on deposit in such Fund and interest and other earnings on those amounts may be used by the Authority, upon the affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors beginning February 1, 2026, and after a public participation process, for operating or capital grants or loans to Service Boards, transportation agencies, or units of local government that advance the goals and objectives identified by the Authority in its Strategic Plan, provided that no improvement that has been included in a Five-Year Capital Program as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly may receive any funding from the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund. Unless the Board has determined, by a vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors beginning February 1, 2026, that an emergency exists requiring the use of some or all of the funds then in the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund, such funds may only be used to enhance the coordination and integration of public transportation and develop and implement innovations to improve the quality and delivery of public transportation.

(b) Any grantee that receives funds from the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund for the operation of eligible programs must (i) implement such programs within one year of receipt of such funds and (ii) within 2 years following commencement of any program utilizing such funds, determine whether it is desirable to continue the program, and upon such a determination, either incorporate such program into its annual operating budget and capital program or discontinue such program. No additional funds from the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund may be distributed to a grantee for any individual program beyond 2 years unless the Authority, by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, waives this limitation. Any such waiver will be with regard to an individual program and with regard to a one year-period, and any further waivers for such individual program require a subsequent vote of the Board.

(Source: P.A. 97-399, eff. 8-16-11.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.04) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 702.04)

Sec. 2.04. Fares and Nature of Service.

(a) Whenever a Service Board provides any public transportation by operating public transportation facilities, the Service Board shall provide for the level and nature of fares or charges to be made for such services, and the nature and standards of public transportation to be so provided that meet the goals and objectives adopted by the Authority in the Strategic Plan. Provided, however that if the Board adopts a budget and financial plan for a Service Board in accordance with the provisions in Section 4.11(b)(5), the Board may consistent with the terms of any purchase of service contract provide for the level and nature of fares to be made for such services under the jurisdiction of that Service Board, and the nature and standards of public transportation to be so provided.

(b) Whenever a Service Board provides any public transportation pursuant to grants made after June 30, 1975, to transportation agencies for operating expenses (other than with regard to experimental programs) or pursuant to any purchase of service agreement, the purchase of service agreement or grant contract shall provide for the level and nature of fares or charges to be made for such services, and the nature and standards of public transportation to be so provided. A Service Board shall require all transportation agencies with which it contracts, or from which it purchases transportation services or to which it makes grants to provide half fare transportation for their student riders if any of such agencies provide for half fare transportation to their student riders.

(c) In so providing for the fares or charges and the nature and standards of public transportation, any purchase of service agreements or grant contracts shall provide, among other matters, for the terms or cost of transfers or interconnections between different modes of transportation and different public transportation agencies, schedules or routes of such service, changes which may be made in such service, the nature and condition of the facilities used in providing service, the manner of collection and disposition of fares or charges, the records and reports to be kept and made concerning such service, for interchangeable tickets or other coordinated or uniform methods of collection of charges, and shall further require that the transportation agency comply with any determination made by the Board of the Authority under and subject to the provisions of Section 2.12b of this Act. In regard to any such service, the Authority and the Service Boards shall give attention to and may undertake programs to promote use of public transportation and to provide coordinated ticket sales and passenger information. In the case of a grant to a transportation agency which remains subject to Illinois Commerce Commission supervision and regulation, the Service Boards shall exercise the powers set forth in this Section in a manner consistent with such supervision and regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

(d) By January 1, 2013, the Authority, in consultation with the Service Boards and the general public, must develop a policy regarding transfer fares on all fixed-route public transportation services provided by the Service Boards. The policy shall also set forth the fare sharing agreements between the Service Boards that apply to interagency fare passes and tickets. The policy established by the Authority shall be submitted to each of the Service Boards for its approval or comments and objection. After receiving the policy, the Service Boards have 90 days to approve or take other action regarding the policy. If all of the Service Boards agree to the policy, then a regional agreement shall be created and signed by each of the Service Boards. The terms of the agreement may be changed upon petition by any of the Service Boards and by agreement of the other Service Boards.

(e) By January 1, 2015, the Authority must develop and implement a regional fare payment system. The regional fare payment system must use and conform with established information security industry standards and requirements of the financial industry. The system must allow consumers to use contactless credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards to pay for all fixed-route public transportation services. Beginning in 2012 and each year thereafter until 2015, the Authority must submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly describing the progress of the Authority and each of the Service Boards in implementing the regional fare payment system. The Authority must adopt rules to implement the requirements set forth in this Section.

(f) Beginning July 1, 2026, the Authority shall be the sole agency responsible for the management and oversight of the fare collection systems used on all public transportation provided by the Service Boards. In that capacity, the Authority shall develop and implement a regionally coordinated and consolidated fare collection system to go into effect by July 1, 2027. The Authority must develop and make available for use by riders a universal fare instrument that may be used interchangeably on all public transportation funded by the Authority. The Authority and Service Boards must adopt rules to implement the requirement set forth in this Section.

The Service Boards shall retain their own authority to set fare rates under Sections 3A.10 and 3B.10 of this Act and Section 30 of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Any change to fares proposed by a Service Board must be submitted to the Authority for the Authority's consideration. The Authority may disapprove of any proposed fare rate changes by the Service Boards in whole or may propose a different fare rate, within 30 days after the fare rate change was proposed by an affirmative vote of at least 14 members of the Board.

Beginning January 1, 2026, at least once every 2 years, the Authority shall assess the need to make fare adjustments for public transportation provided by all Service Boards in light of inflation, budgetary needs, and other relevant policy considerations. The Board shall submit proposed fare changes to each Service Board for the Service Board's consideration. The Service Boards shall adopt or disapprove of any proposed fare rate changes within 30 days after the Authority submitted the proposal by a simple majority vote of each Service Board.

(g) By July 1, 2026, the Authority shall implement:

(1) an income-based reduced fare program; and

(2) fare-capping for individual services and across public transportation service providers. Fare-capping means the action of no longer charging a rider for any additional fares for the duration of a daily, weekly, monthly, or 30-day pass once the rider has purchased enough regular one-way fares to reach the cost of the applicable pass.

(h) The Authority shall provide regular reports to the Governor and General Assembly on progress made in implementing the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly under subsections (f) and (g) of this Section as outlined under Section 2.44.

(Source: P.A. 97-85, eff. 7-7-11.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.05) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 702.05)

Sec. 2.05. Centralized Services; Acquisition and Construction.

(a) The Authority may at the request of two or more Service Boards, serve, or designate a Service Board to serve, as a centralized purchasing agent for the Service Boards so requesting.

(b) The Authority may at the request of two or more Service Boards perform other centralized services such as ridership information and transfers between services under the jurisdiction of the Service Boards where such centralized services financially benefit the region as a whole. Provided, however, that the Board may require transfers only upon an affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026.

(c) A Service Board or the Authority may for the benefit of a Service Board, to meet its purposes, construct or acquire any public transportation facility for use by a Service Board or for use by any transportation agency and may acquire any such facilities from any transportation agency, including also without limitation any reserve funds, employees' pension or retirement funds, special funds, franchises, licenses, patents, permits and papers, documents and records of the agency. In connection with any such acquisition from a transportation agency the Authority may assume obligations of the transportation agency with regard to such facilities or property or public transportation operations of such agency.

In connection with any construction or acquisition, the Authority shall make relocation payments as may be required by federal law or by the requirements of any federal agency authorized to administer any federal program of aid.

(d) The Authority shall, after consulting with the Service Boards, develop regionally coordinated and consolidated sales, marketing, advertising, and public information programs that promote the use and coordination of, and transfers among, public transportation services in the metropolitan region. The Authority shall develop and adopt, with the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and with the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, rules and regulations for the Authority and the Service Boards regarding such programs to ensure that the Service Boards' independent programs conform with the Authority's regional programs.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.08) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 702.08)

Sec. 2.08. Protection Against Crime. The Authority shall cooperate with the various State, municipal, sheriff's and transportation agency police forces in the metropolitan region for the protection of employees and consumers of public transportation services and public transportation facilities against crime. By July 1, 2026, the The Authority shall establish may provide by ordinance for an Authority police force to aid, coordinate, and supplement other police forces in protecting persons and property and reducing the threats of crime with regard to public transportation provided by all Service Boards. The Authority police force shall have the authority to police its transit property, vehicles, and stations along all routes of the 3 Service Boards, carry out investigations, and make arrests. Such police shall have the same powers with regard to such protection of persons and property as those exercised by police of municipalities and may include members of other police forces in the metropolitan region. The Authority shall establish minimum standards for selection and training of members of such police force employed by it. Training shall be accomplished at schools certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board established pursuant to the Illinois Police Training Act. Such training shall be subject to the rules and standards adopted pursuant to Section 7 of that Act. The Authority may participate in any training program conducted under that Act. The Authority may provide for the coordination or consolidation of security services and police forces maintained with regard to public transportation services and facilities by various transportation agencies and may contract with any municipality or county in the metropolitan region to provide protection of persons or property with regard to public transportation. The Authority police force shall work in tandem with the Metra police force, supplementing their services as needed. Employees of the Authority or of any transportation agency affected by any action of the Authority under this Section shall be provided the protection set forth in Section 2.16. Neither the Authority, the Suburban Bus Division, the Commuter Rail Division, nor any of their Directors, officers or employees shall be held liable for failure to provide a security or police force or, if a security or police force is provided, for failure to provide adequate police protection or security, failure to prevent the commission of crimes by fellow passengers or other third persons or for the failure to apprehend criminals.

The Authority shall provide regular reports to the Governor and General Assembly on progress made in implementing the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly under this Section as outlined under Section 2.44. These reports shall include the organizational structure of the police force, number of officers, detectives, and other staff employed, future employment plans, coordination and partnerships with existing police forces, training accomplishments, technology advancements, and a summary of data on number of incidents of crime and code of conduct violations on the system and other performance measures used to evaluate the effectiveness of the police force.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.08a new)

Sec. 2.08a. Transit Ambassador Program.

(a) By July 1, 2026, the Authority, in coordination with the Service Boards, must implement a Transit Ambassador Program that provides for personnel deployment, rider education and assistance, fare payment inspection, and improvement to the transit experience.

(b) As part of program implementation, the Authority, in coordination with the Service Boards, must:

(1) establish policies and procedures that govern authorizing and training ambassadors;

(2) consult with interested stakeholders on the design of the program; and

(3) develop a ambassador personnel strategic deployment plan that (i) requires teams of at least 2 individuals and (ii) targets deployment to times and locations with identified concentrations of activity that are subject to arrest or that negatively impact the rider experience.

(c) The Transit Ambassador Program will deploy trained personnel on buses, bus stops, trains, and stations for all Service Boards.

(d) The ambassador units shall be composed of mobile and fixed post personnel that are trained to play a rider-facing and welcoming role, promote safety for all riders and operators, and help connect vulnerable riders to resources or assistance.

(e) The duties of ambassadors include:

(1) monitoring and responding to passenger activity, including educating passengers and specifying expectations related to rider conduct;

(2) serving as a liaison to social service agencies;

(3) providing information and assistance to passengers in navigating the transit system;

(4) performing fare payment inspections; and

(5) obtaining assistance from peace officers as necessary.

(f) An individual who is authorized as an ambassador shall be a member of a Service Board and shall be eligible for membership in a registered labor organization.

(g) The Authority shall evaluate the efficacy of the Transit Ambassador Program on a regular basis, at a minimum every 5 years in conjunction with the adoption of its Strategic Plan, and shall make appropriate adjustments to the Programs.

(h) The Authority shall provide regular reports to the Governor and General Assembly on progress made in implementing the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly under this Section as outlined under Section 2.44.

(70 ILCS 3615/2.12b)

Sec. 2.12b. Coordination of Fares and Service. Upon the request of a Service Board, the Executive Director of the Authority may, upon the affirmative vote of 9 of the then Directors of the Authority, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 11 of the then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, intervene in any matter involving (i) a dispute between Service Boards or a Service Board and a transportation agency providing service on behalf of a Service Board with respect to the terms of transfer between, and the allocation of revenues from fares and charges for, transportation services provided by the parties or (ii) a dispute between 2 Service Boards with respect to coordination of service, route duplication, or a change in service. Any Service Board or transportation agency involved in such dispute shall meet with the Executive Director, cooperate in good faith to attempt to resolve the dispute, and provide any books, records, and other information requested by the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is unable to mediate a resolution of any dispute, he or she may provide a written determination recommending a change in the fares or charges or the allocation of revenues for such service or directing a change in the nature or provider of service that is the subject of the dispute. The Executive Director shall base such determination upon the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan established pursuant to Section 2.01a(b). Such determination shall be presented to the Board of the Authority and, if approved, by the affirmative vote of at least 9 of the then Directors of the Authority, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 11 of the then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, shall be final and shall be implemented by any affected Service Board and transportation agency within the time frame required by the determination.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.14) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 702.14)

Sec. 2.14. Appointment of Officers and Employees. The Authority may appoint, retain and employ officers, attorneys, agents, engineers and employees. The officers shall include an Executive Director, who shall be the chief executive officer of the Authority, appointed by the Chairman with the concurrence of 11 of the other then Directors of the Board, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the concurrence of at least 13 Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. The Executive Director shall organize the staff of the Authority, shall allocate their functions and duties, shall transfer such staff to the Suburban Bus Division and the Commuter Rail Division as is sufficient to meet their purposes, shall fix compensation and conditions of employment of the staff of the Authority, and consistent with the policies of and direction from the Board, take all actions necessary to achieve its purposes, fulfill its responsibilities and carry out its powers, and shall have such other powers and responsibilities as the Board shall determine. The Executive Director must be an individual of proven transportation and management skills and may not be a member of the Board. The Authority may employ its own professional management personnel to provide professional and technical expertise concerning its purposes and powers and to assist it in assessing the performance of the Service Boards in the metropolitan region.

No employee, officer, or agent of the Authority may receive a bonus that exceeds 10% of his or her annual salary unless that bonus has been reviewed by the Board for a period of 14 days. After 14 days, the contract shall be considered reviewed. This Section does not apply to usual and customary salary adjustments.

No unlawful discrimination, as defined and prohibited in the Illinois Human Rights Act, shall be made in any term or aspect of employment nor shall there be discrimination based upon political reasons or factors. The Authority shall establish regulations to insure that its discharges shall not be arbitrary and that hiring and promotion are based on merit.

The Authority shall be subject to the "Illinois Human Rights Act", as now or hereafter amended, and the remedies and procedure established thereunder. The Authority shall file an affirmative action program for employment by it with the Department of Human Rights to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to unlawful discrimination. Such affirmative action program shall include provisions relating to hiring, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment, recruitment advertising, selection for training and rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

(Source: P.A. 98-1027, eff. 1-1-15.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.18a) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 702.18a)

Sec. 2.18a. (a) The provisions of this Section apply to collective bargaining agreements (including extensions and amendments to existing agreements) between Service Boards or transportation agencies subject to the jurisdiction of Service Boards and their employees, which are entered into after January 1, 1984.

(b) The Authority shall approve amended budgets prepared by Service Boards which incorporate the costs of collective bargaining agreements between Service Boards and their employees. The Authority shall approve such an amended budget provided that it determines, by the affirmative vote of 12 of its then members, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then members, beginning February 1, 2026, that the amended budget meets the standards established in Section 4.11.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.30)

Sec. 2.30. Paratransit services.

(a) For purposes of this Act, "ADA paratransit services" shall mean those comparable or specialized transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Service Boards to individuals with disabilities who are unable to use fixed route transportation systems and who are determined to be eligible, for some or all of their trips, for such services under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations.

(b) Beginning July 1, 2005, the Authority is responsible for the funding, from amounts on deposit in the ADA Paratransit Fund established under Section 2.01d of this Act, financial review and oversight of all ADA paratransit services that are provided by the Authority or by any of the Service Boards. The Suburban Bus Board shall operate or provide for the operation of all ADA paratransit services by no later than July 1, 2006, except that this date may be extended to the extent necessary to obtain approval from the Federal Transit Administration of the plan prepared pursuant to subsection (c).

(c) No later than January 1, 2006, the Authority, in collaboration with the Suburban Bus Board and the Chicago Transit Authority, shall develop a plan for the provision of ADA paratransit services and submit such plan to the Federal Transit Administration for approval. Approval of such plan by the Authority shall require the affirmative votes of 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and the affirmative votes of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. The Suburban Bus Board, the Chicago Transit Authority and the Authority shall comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations in developing and approving such plan including, without limitation, consulting with individuals with disabilities and groups representing them in the community, and providing adequate opportunity for public comment and public hearings. The plan shall include the contents required for a paratransit plan pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations. The plan shall also include, without limitation, provisions to:

(1) maintain, at a minimum, the levels of ADA paratransit service that are required to be provided by the Service Boards pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations;

(2) transfer the appropriate ADA paratransit services, management, personnel, service contracts and assets from the Chicago Transit Authority to the Authority or the Suburban Bus Board, as necessary, by no later than July 1, 2006, except that this date may be extended to the extent necessary to obtain approval from the Federal Transit Administration of the plan prepared pursuant to this subsection (c);

(3) provide for consistent policies throughout the metropolitan region for scheduling of ADA paratransit service trips to and from destinations, with consideration of scheduling of return trips on a "will-call" open-ended basis upon request of the rider, if practicable, and with consideration of an increased number of trips available by subscription service than are available as of the effective date of this amendatory Act;

(4) provide that service contracts and rates, entered into or set after the approval by the Federal Transit Administration of the plan prepared pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, with private carriers and taxicabs for ADA paratransit service are procured by means of an open procurement process;

(5) provide for fares, fare collection and billing procedures for ADA paratransit services throughout the metropolitan region;

(6) provide for performance standards for all ADA paratransit service transportation carriers, with consideration of door-to-door service;

(7) provide, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Public Aid and other appropriate public agencies and private entities, for the application and receipt of grants, including, without limitation, reimbursement from Medicaid or other programs for ADA paratransit services;

(8) provide for a system of dispatch of ADA paratransit services transportation carriers throughout the metropolitan region, with consideration of county-based dispatch systems already in place as of the effective date of this amendatory Act;

(9) provide for a process of determining eligibility for ADA paratransit services that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations;

(10) provide for consideration of innovative methods to provide and fund ADA paratransit services; and

(11) provide for the creation of one or more ADA advisory boards, or the reconstitution of the existing ADA advisory boards for the Service Boards, to represent the diversity of individuals with disabilities in the metropolitan region and to provide appropriate ongoing input from individuals with disabilities into the operation of ADA paratransit services.

(d) All revisions and annual updates to the ADA paratransit services plan developed pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, or certifications of continued compliance in lieu of plan updates, that are required to be provided to the Federal Transit Administration shall be developed by the Authority, in collaboration with the Suburban Bus Board and the Chicago Transit Authority, and the Authority shall submit such revision, update or certification to the Federal Transit Administration for approval. Approval of such revisions, updates or certifications by the Authority shall require the affirmative votes of 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and the affirmative votes of at least 14 of the then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026.

(e) The Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Public Aid, the Authority, the Suburban Bus Board and the Chicago Transit Authority shall enter into intergovernmental agreements as may be necessary to provide funding and accountability for, and implementation of, the requirements of this Section.

(f) By no later than April 1, 2007, the Authority shall develop and submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a funding plan for ADA paratransit services. Approval of such plan by the Authority shall require the affirmative votes of 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. The funding plan shall, at a minimum, contain an analysis of the current costs of providing ADA paratransit services, projections of the long-term costs of providing ADA paratransit services, identification of and recommendations for possible cost efficiencies in providing ADA paratransit services, and identification of and recommendations for possible funding sources for providing ADA paratransit services. The Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Public Aid, the Suburban Bus Board, the Chicago Transit Authority and other State and local public agencies as appropriate shall cooperate with the Authority in the preparation of such funding plan.

(g) Any funds derived from the federal Medicaid program for reimbursement of the costs of providing ADA paratransit services within the metropolitan region shall be directed to the Authority and shall be used to pay for or reimburse the costs of providing such services.

(h) Nothing in this amendatory Act shall be construed to conflict with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations.

(Source: P.A. 94-370, eff. 7-29-05; 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/2.43 new)

Sec. 2.43. Comprehensive metropolitan region transit plan.

(a) By July 1, 2027, the Authority shall complete a plan for the purpose of evaluating the metropolitan region's existing public transportation funding and policy processes and developing alternative solutions. The Authority shall evaluate and consider the following topics and produce a final report of the data, findings, and recommendations to the General Assembly that:

(1) evaluates the existing governance of the metropolitan region's public transportation system, including roles and responsibilities for each of the Service Boards, the Authority, and the State;

(2) evaluates functions performed by the Authority and each of the Service Boards that may be considered for consolidation to be performed under the Authority, including, but not limited to, procurement and purchasing, accounting, grant management, communications, labor relations, and human resources;

(3) evaluates existing planning processes, including strategic plans, capital programming, and budgeting performed by the Authority and each Service Board and considers the implementation of a streamlined planning process under the Authority;

(4) evaluates existing funding formulas for each of the Service Boards and the Authority and considers alternate funding distribution processes to be managed by the Authority;

(5) evaluates existing coordination processes used between the Service Boards regarding service routes and connection between different services and considers the development and implementation of a new, streamlined approach to improve service connections;

(6) evaluates existing last-mile service options through the service territory and considers the addition of region-wide services; and

(7) outlines a feasible consolidation process for functions evaluated in this Section.

(b) By April 1, 2026, the Authority shall enter into a contract with a third party to assist the Authority in producing a document that evaluates the topics described in this Section and outlines formal recommendations that can be acted upon by the General Assembly. The Authority shall prepare a summary of its activities and produce a final report of the data, findings, and recommendations for the General Assembly by July 1, 2027. The final report shall include specific, actionable recommendations for legislation and organizational adjustments.

(c) Throughout the development of the study, the Authority and the third party performing the study shall coordinate with labor organizations whose members are employed by the Authority or the Service Boards. The Authority and third party shall conduct, at a minimum, 2 meetings with these labor organizations, with one occurring during the development and fact-finding stage of the study and one occurring after the completion of a draft but before the draft's consideration by the Board.

(d) The Service Boards shall work closely with the Authority and provide all relevant data and information necessary to complete this plan. The Authority shall have access to and the right to examine and copy all books, documents, papers, record or other source data of a Service Board relevant to any information submitted pursuant to this Section.

(e) This plan shall maintain the 3 Service Boards and separate Authority and in no way shall consider consolidation into one public transportation organization.

(f) The Authority shall provide regular reports to the Governor and General Assembly on progress made in implementing the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly under this Section as outlined under Section 2.44.

(70 ILCS 3615/2.44 new)

Sec. 2.44. Authority and Service Board accountability.

(a) To ensure the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly are actively pursued and implemented in a timely manner, the following accountability measures shall apply to the Authority and Service Boards:

(1) In fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Authority shall submit 2 reports to the Governor and General Assembly reporting progress made on reforms adopted under Sections 2.04, 2.08, 2.08a, 2.43, 3A.10, 3B.10, 4.01, and 4.09 of this Act. The reports shall be submitted by September 15 and March 15 of each year, beginning on September 15, 2025.

(2) The Service Boards shall work closely with the Authority and provide all relevant data and information necessary to implement the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

(A) In fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Service Boards shall submit quarterly reports to the Authority reporting or progress made under Sections 2.04, 2.08, 2.08a, 2.43, 3A.10, 3B.10, 4.01, and 4.09 of this Act. The reports shall be submitted by January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31 of each year, beginning on October 31, 2025.

(B) If the Executive Director certifies that a Service Board has not submitted data or documents as requested by the Authority or has not been willing to actively communicate and coordinate as requested by the Authority concerning changes to Sections 2.04, 2.08, 2.08a, 2.43, 2.44, 3A.10, 3B.10, 4.01, and 4.09 of this Act by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly and if that certification is accepted by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of the then Directors of the Authority, then the Authority shall reduce the distribution of funds for operating purposes to that Service Board by 10% of the cash proceeds of taxes imposed by the Authority under Section 4.03 and Section 4.03.1 and 10% of the amounts transferred to the Authority from the Public Transportation Fund under subsection (a) of Section 4.09. Such reduction shall apply the first month following an affirmative vote of the Directors. Such funding shall be released to the Service Board only upon proof of cooperation by the Service Boards, to be decided by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of then Directors of the Authority.

(70 ILCS 3615/3.01) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703.01)

Sec. 3.01. Board of Directors. The corporate authorities and governing body of the Authority shall be a Board consisting of 13 Directors until April 1, 2008, and 16 Directors until February 1, 2026, and 21 Directors thereafter, appointed as follows:

(a) Before February 1, 2026, 4 Four Directors appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago, with the advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago, and, only until April 1, 2008, a fifth director who shall be the Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority. After April 1, 2008 and until February 1, 2026, the Mayor of the City of Chicago, with the advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago, shall appoint a fifth Director. After February 1, 2026, the Mayor of the City of Chicago, with the advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago, shall appoint 5 Directors. The Directors appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago shall not be the Chairman or a Director of the Chicago Transit Authority. Each such Director shall reside in the City of Chicago.

(b) Before February 1, 2026, 4 Four Directors appointed by the votes of a majority of the members of the Cook County Board elected from districts, a majority of the electors of which reside outside Chicago. After April 1, 2008, a fifth Director appointed by the President of the Cook County Board with the advice and consent of the members of the Cook County Board. After February 1, 2026, 5 Directors appointed by the President of the Cook County Board with the advice and consent of the members of the Cook County Board. At least 3 Directors Each Director appointed under this subsection subparagraph shall reside in that part of Cook County outside Chicago.

(c) Until April 1, 2008, 3 Directors appointed by the Chairmen of the County Boards of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties, as follows:

(i) Two Directors appointed by the Chairmen of the county boards of Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties, with the concurrence of not less than a majority of the Chairmen from such counties, from nominees by the Chairmen. Each such Chairman may nominate not more than 2 persons for each position. Each such Director shall reside in a county in the metropolitan region other than Cook or DuPage Counties.

(ii) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the DuPage County Board with the advice and consent of the DuPage County Board. Such Director shall reside in DuPage County.

(d) After April 1, 2008 and continuing after February 1, 2026, 5 Directors appointed by the Chairmen of the County Boards of DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry Counties and the County Executive of Will County, as follows:

(i) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the Kane County Board with the advice and consent of the Kane County Board. Such Director shall reside in Kane County.

(ii) One Director appointed by the County Executive of Will County with the advice and consent of the Will County Board. Such Director shall reside in Will County.

(iii) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the DuPage County Board with the advice and consent of the DuPage County Board. Such Director shall reside in DuPage County.

(iv) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the Lake County Board with the advice and consent of the Lake County Board. Such Director shall reside in Lake County.

(v) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the McHenry County Board with the advice and consent of the McHenry County Board. Such Director shall reside in McHenry County.

(vi) (Blank). To implement the changes in appointing authority under this subparagraph (d) the three Directors appointed under subparagraph (c) and residing in Lake County, DuPage County, and Kane County respectively shall each continue to serve as Director until the expiration of their respective term of office and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified or a vacancy occurs in the office. Thereupon, the appointment shall be made by the officials given appointing authority with respect to the Director whose term has expired or office has become vacant.

(e) Beginning February 1, 2026, 5 Directors appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. One Director shall represent organized labor, one Director shall represent the business community of the Chicago region, and one Director shall represent a public transportation advocacy organization. The Directors shall be appointed by February 1, 2026, and their terms shall begin at that time.

The Director representing organized labor shall reside within the 6-county region of the Authority. The Director shall be selected from a list of 3 persons recommended by the president of a statewide labor organization representing labor organizations recognized under the National Labor Relations Act or the Railway Labor Act. If such a Director has not been appointed within 60 days for the initial term, or appointed within 60 days of the expiration of a term or a vacancy, then the first person on the list provided to the Governor will automatically assume such office.

(f) The Chairperson serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall continue to serve as Chairperson until February 1, 2026 or until a successor is appointed and qualified or a vacancy occurs in the office. As soon as possible after the Board of Directors convenes following the appointments on February 1, 2026, as outlined in subsection (g) of this Section, a new Chairman shall be appointed. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the other Directors, by the affirmative vote of at least 13 of the then Directors with at least 2 affirmative votes from Directors who reside in the City of Chicago, at least 2 affirmative votes from Directors who reside in Cook County outside the City of Chicago, and at least 2 affirmative votes from Directors who reside in DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, Kane County, or McHenry County. The Chairperson shall not be appointed from among the other Directors. The chairman shall be a resident of the metropolitan region.

(g) A new Board of Directors shall be appointed as directed under this Section to begin their terms of office on February 1, 2026, and their appointments shall be made in time to begin their terms on February 1, 2026. All Directors serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall retain their offices until February 1, 2026. In the event of the expiration of a term of office or a vacancy occurs prior to February 1, 2026, a new Director shall be appointed as directed in statute. A Director serving in this position on January 31, 2026 may be reappointed.

(1) Of the new Directors appointed under subsection (a) of this Section on February 1, 2026, the Mayor of Chicago shall appoint 2 Directors with 4-year terms and 3 Directors with 2-year terms. Subsequent terms of all Directors shall be 4 years.

(2) Of the new Directors appointed under subsection (b) of this Section on February 1, 2026, the President of the Cook County Board shall appoint 3 Directors with 4-year terms and 2 Directors with 2-year terms. Subsequent terms of all Directors shall be 4 years.

(3) Of the new Directors appointed under subsection (d) of this Section on February 1, 2026, the Chairmen of the County Boards of DuPage, Kane, and Lake Counties shall appoint Directors with 2-year terms. Of the new Directors appointed under subsection (d) of this Section on February 1, 2026, the Chairmen of the County Board of McHenry County and the County Executive of Will County shall appoint Directors with 4-year terms. Subsequent terms of all Directors shall be 4 years.

(4) Of the new Directors appointed under subsection (e) of this Section on February 1, 2026, the Governor shall appoint 2 Directors with 4-year terms and one Director with a 2-year term. Subsequent terms of all Directors shall be 4 years.

(h) Directors shall have diverse and substantial relevant experience and expertise in overseeing the planning, operation, and funding of a public transportation system, including, but not limited to, backgrounds in urban and regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor and workforce development, business management, public administration, transportation, and transit and ridership advocacy. The Chairman serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly shall continue to serve as Chairman until the expiration of his or her term of office and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified or a vacancy occurs in the office. Upon the expiration or vacancy of the term of the Chairman then serving upon the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the Chairman shall be appointed by the other Directors, by the affirmative vote of at least 11 of the then Directors with at least 2 affirmative votes from Directors who reside in the City of Chicago, at least 2 affirmative votes from Directors who reside in Cook County outside the City of Chicago, and at least 2 affirmative votes from Directors who reside in the Counties of DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, or McHenry. The chairman shall not be appointed from among the other Directors. The chairman shall be a resident of the metropolitan region.

(f) Except as otherwise provided by this Act no Director shall, while serving as such, be an officer, a member of the Board of Directors or Trustees or an employee of any Service Board or transportation agency, or be an employee of the State of Illinois or any department or agency thereof, or of any municipality, county, or any other unit of local government or receive any compensation from any elected or appointed office under the Constitution and laws of Illinois; except that a Director may be a member of a school board.

(i) (g) Each appointment made under this Section and under Section 3.03 shall be certified by the appointing authority to the Board, which shall maintain the certifications as part of the official records of the Authority.

(h) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 98-709, eff. 7-16-14.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3.03) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703.03)

Sec. 3.03. Terms, vacancies. Prior to February 1, 2026, each Each Director shall hold office for a term of 5 years, and until his successor has been appointed and has qualified. A vacancy shall occur upon resignation, death, conviction of a felony, or removal from office of a Director. Any Director may be removed from office (i) upon concurrence of not less than 11 Directors, on a formal finding of incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office or (ii) by the Governor in response to a summary report received from the Executive Inspector General in accordance with Section 20-50 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, provided he or she has an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel prior to removal. Within 30 days after the office of any member becomes vacant for any reason, the appointing authorities of such member shall make an appointment to fill the vacancy. A vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term.

Beginning February 1, 2026, each Director shall hold office for a term of 4 years and until the Director's successor has been appointed and has qualified. A vacancy shall occur upon resignation, death, conviction of a felony, or removal from office of a Director. Any Director may be removed from office (i) upon concurrence of at least 14 of the current Directors, on a formal finding of incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office or (ii) by the Governor in response to a summary report received from the Executive Inspector General in accordance with Section 20-50 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, provided the Director has an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel before removal. Within 30 days after the office of any Director becomes vacant for any reason, the appointing authorities of the Director shall make an appointment to fill the vacancy. A vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term.

Whenever a vacancy for a Director, except as to the Chairman or those Directors appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago, exists for longer than 4 months, the new Director shall be chosen by election by all legislative members in the General Assembly representing the affected area. In order to qualify as a voting legislative member in this matter, the affected area must be more than 50% of the geographic area of the legislative district.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08; 96-1528, eff. 7-1-11.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3.05) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703.05)

Sec. 3.05. Meetings. The Board shall prescribe the times and places for meetings and the manner in which special meetings may be called. The Board shall comply in all respects with the "Open Meetings Act", approved July 11, 1957, as now or hereafter amended. All records, documents and papers of the Authority, other than those relating to matters concerning which closed sessions of the Board may be held, shall be available for public examination, subject to such reasonable regulations as the Board may adopt.

A majority of the Directors holding office shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the affirmative votes of at least 9 Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 11 Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, shall be necessary for approving any contract or agreement, adopting any rule or regulation, and any other action required by this Act to be taken by resolution or ordinance.

The Board shall meet with the Regional Citizens Advisory Board at least once every 4 months.

Open meetings of the Board shall be broadcast to the public and maintained in real-time on the Board's website using a high-speed Internet connection. Recordings of each meeting broadcast shall be posted to the Board's website within a reasonable time after the meeting and shall be maintained as public records to the extent practicable, as determined by the Board. Compliance with the provisions of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly does not relieve the Board of its obligations under the Open Meetings Act.

(Source: P.A. 98-1139, eff. 6-1-15.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3A.02) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703A.02)

Sec. 3A.02. Suburban Bus Board. Beginning February 1, 2026, the The governing body of the Suburban Bus Division shall be a board consisting of 12 13 directors appointed as follows:

(a) Until February 1, 2026, 6 Six Directors appointed by the members of the Cook County Board elected from that part of Cook County outside of Chicago, or in the event such Board of Commissioners becomes elected from single member districts, by those Commissioners elected from districts, a majority of the residents of which reside outside of Chicago from the chief executive officers of the municipalities, of that portion of Cook County outside of Chicago. On and after February 1, 2026, a total of 6 Directors appointed by the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners with the advice and consent of the members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. The members shall reside in the part of Cook County outside the City of Chicago, except Provided however, that:

(1) One of the Directors shall be a representative of organized labor. The Director shall reside within the 6-county region of the Authority. The Director shall be selected from a list of 3 persons recommended by the president of a statewide labor organization representing labor organizations recognized under the National Labor Relations Act or the Railway Labor Act. If the Director has not been appointed within 60 days for the initial term, or appointed within 60 days of the expiration of a term of office or a vacancy, the first person on the list provided to the President of Cook County shall automatically assume the office;

(2) One of the Directors shall be a representative of a senior advocacy organization and shall reside within Cook County;

(3) One of the Directors shall be a representative of the disability rights community and shall reside in the part of Cook County outside the City of Chicago; and

(4) Three of the Directors shall be at-large Directors and shall reside in the part of Cook County outside of the City of Chicago;

(i) One of the Directors shall be the chief executive officer of a municipality within the area of the Northwest Region defined in Section 3A.13;

(ii) One of the Directors shall be the chief executive officer of a municipality within the area of the North Central Region defined in Section 3A.13;

(iii) One of the Directors shall be the chief executive officer of a municipality within the area of the North Shore Region defined in Section 3A.13;

(iv) One of the Directors shall be the chief executive officer of a municipality within the area of the Central Region defined in Section 3A.13;

(v) One of the Directors shall be the chief executive officer of a municipality within the area of the Southwest Region defined in Section 3A.13;

(vi) One of the Directors shall be the chief executive officer of a municipality within the area of the South Region defined in Section 3A.13;

(b) One Director by the Chairman of the Kane County Board who shall be a chief executive officer of a municipality within Kane County;

(c) One Director by the Chairman of the Lake County Board who shall be a chief executive officer of a municipality within Lake County;

(d) One Director by the Chairman of the DuPage County Board who shall be a chief executive officer of a municipality within DuPage County;

(e) One Director by the Chairman of the McHenry County Board who shall be a chief executive officer of a municipality within McHenry County;

(f) One Director by the Chairman of the Will County Board who shall be a chief executive officer of a municipality within Will County;

(g) The Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, from the City of Chicago, who shall serve as an ex-officio member; and

(h) The Chairperson serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall continue to serve as Chairperson until February 1, 2026 or until a successor is appointed and qualified or until a vacancy occurs in the office. As soon as possible after the Suburban Bus Board convenes following the appointments on February 1, 2026 as outlined in subsections (i) and (j) of this Section, a new Chairperson shall be appointed. The Chairperson shall be appointed from among the other Directors by the affirmative vote of at least 8 of the then Directors Chairman by the Governor for the initial term, and thereafter by a majority of the Chairmen of the DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will County Boards and the members of the Cook County Board elected from that part of Cook County outside of Chicago, or in the event such Board of Commissioners is elected from single member districts, by those Commissioners elected from districts, a majority of the electors of which reside outside of Chicago; and who after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly may not be a resident of the City of Chicago.

(i) To implement the changes in appointing authority under subsection (a) of this Section all existing Directors serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall retain their offices until the expiration or vacancy of their respective terms of office or until February 1, 2026, whichever occurs first. In the event of the expiration of the term of office or a vacancy of these offices occurs before February 1, 2026, a new Director shall be appointed as directed in statute. New Directors shall be appointed in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section will begin their terms of office on February 1, 2026 and the appointment shall be made in due time to begin their terms at this time. Of the Directors to be appointed on February 1, 2026, the President of the Cook County Board shall appoint 3 Directors with a 4-year term and 3 Directors with a 2-year term. Subsequent terms of all Directors shall be 4-years. A Director serving in this position on January 31, 2026 may be reappointed if so chosen.

(j) All existing Directors appointed under subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this Section serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly will retain their offices until the expiration or vacancy of their respective term of office or until February 1, 2026, whichever occurs first. In the event of the expiration of the term or a vacancy of these offices occurs prior to February 1, 2026, a new Director shall be appointed as directed in statute. New Directors shall be appointed in accordance with subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this Section to begin their terms on February 1, 2026 and the appointment shall be made in time to begin their terms on February 1, 2026. Of the new Directors appointed under paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this Section on February 1, 2026, the Chairmen of the County Boards of DuPage, Kane, and Lake Counties will appoint Directors with 4-year terms. Of the new Directors appointed under subsection (d) of this Section on February 1, 2026, the Chairmen of the County Board of McHenry County and the County Executive of Will County will appoint Directors with 2-year terms. Subsequent terms of all Directors will be 4 years. A Director serving in this position on January 31, 2026 may be reappointed if so chosen.

(k) Directors shall have diverse and substantial relevant experience and expertise in overseeing the planning, operation, and funding of a public transportation system, including, but not limited to, backgrounds in urban and regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor and workforce development, business management, public administration, transportation, and transit and ridership advocacy.

(l) Each appointment made under subsections paragraphs (a) through (g) and under Section 3A.03 shall be certified by the appointing authority to the Suburban Bus Board which shall maintain the certifications as part of the official records of the Suburban Bus Board; provided that the initial appointments shall be certified to the Secretary of State, who shall transmit the certifications to the Suburban Bus Board following its organization.

For the purposes of this Section, "chief executive officer of a municipality" includes a former chief executive officer of a municipality within the specified Region or County, provided that the former officer continues to reside within such Region or County.

(Source: P.A. 95-906, eff. 8-26-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3A.09) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703A.09)

Sec. 3A.09. General powers. In addition to any powers elsewhere provided to the Suburban Bus Board, it shall have all of the powers specified in Section 2.20 of this Act except for the powers specified in Section 2.20(a)(v). The Board shall also have the power:

(a) to cooperate with the Regional Transportation Authority in the exercise by the Regional Transportation Authority of all the powers granted it by such Act;

(b) to receive funds from the Regional Transportation Authority pursuant to Sections 2.02, 4.01, 4.02, 4.09 and 4.10 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act, all as provided in the Regional Transportation Authority Act;

(c) to receive financial grants from the Regional Transportation Authority or a Service Board, as defined in the Regional Transportation Authority Act, upon such terms and conditions as shall be set forth in a grant contract between either the Division and the Regional Transportation Authority or the Division and another Service Board, which contract or agreement may be for such number of years or duration as the parties agree, all as provided in the Regional Transportation Authority Act;

(d) to perform all functions necessary for the provision of paratransit services under Section 2.30 of this Act;

(e) to borrow money for the purposes of: (i) constructing a new garage in the northwestern Cook County suburbs, (ii) converting the South Cook garage in Markham to a Compressed Natural Gas facility, (iii) constructing a new paratransit garage in DuPage County, (iv) expanding the North Shore garage in Evanston to accommodate additional indoor bus parking, and (v) purchasing new transit buses. For the purpose of evidencing the obligation of the Suburban Bus Board to repay any money borrowed as provided in this subsection, the Suburban Bus Board may issue revenue bonds from time to time pursuant to ordinance adopted by the Suburban Bus Board, subject to the approval of the Regional Transportation Authority of each such issuance by the affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 members, beginning February 1, 2026; provided that the Suburban Bus Board may not issue bonds for the purpose of financing the acquisition, construction, or improvement of any facility other than those listed in this subsection (e). All such bonds shall be payable solely from the revenues or income or any other funds that the Suburban Bus Board may receive, provided that the Suburban Bus Board may not pledge as security for such bonds the moneys, if any, that the Suburban Bus Board receives from the Regional Transportation Authority pursuant to Section 4.03.3(f) of the Regional Transportation Authority Act. The bonds shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by the Bond Authorization Act and shall mature at such time or times not exceeding 25 years from their respective dates. Bonds issued pursuant to this paragraph must be issued with scheduled principal or mandatory redemption payments in equal amounts in each fiscal year over the term of the bonds, with the first principal or mandatory redemption payment scheduled within the fiscal year in which bonds are issued or within the next succeeding fiscal year. At least 25%, based on total principal amount, of all bonds authorized pursuant to this Section shall be sold pursuant to notice of sale and public bid. No more than 75%, based on total principal amount, of all bonds authorized pursuant to this Section shall be sold by negotiated sale. The maximum principal amount of the bonds that may be issued may not exceed $100,000,000. The bonds shall have all the qualities of negotiable instruments under the laws of this State. To secure the payment of any or all of such bonds and for the purpose of setting forth the covenants and undertakings of the Suburban Bus Board in connection with the issuance thereof and the issuance of any additional bonds payable from such revenue or income as well as the use and application of the revenue or income received by the Suburban Bus Board, the Suburban Bus Board may execute and deliver a trust agreement or agreements; provided that no lien upon any physical property of the Suburban Bus Board shall be created thereby. A remedy for any breach or default of the terms of any such trust agreement by the Suburban Bus Board may be by mandamus proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction to compel performance and compliance therewith, but the trust agreement may prescribe by whom or on whose behalf such action may be instituted. Under no circumstances shall any bonds issued by the Suburban Bus Board or any other obligation of the Suburban Bus Board in connection with the issuance of such bonds be or become an indebtedness or obligation of the State of Illinois, the Regional Transportation Authority, or any other political subdivision of or municipality within the State, nor shall any such bonds or obligations be or become an indebtedness of the Suburban Bus Board within the purview of any constitutional limitation or provision, and it shall be plainly stated on the face of each bond that it does not constitute such an indebtedness or obligation but is payable solely from the revenues or income as aforesaid; and

(f) to adopt ordinances and make all rules and regulations proper or necessary to regulate the use, operation, and maintenance of its property and facilities and to carry into effect the powers granted to the Suburban Bus Board, with any necessary fines or penalties, such as the suspension of riding privileges or confiscation of fare media under Section 2.40, as the Board deems proper.

(Source: P.A. 103-281, eff. 1-1-24.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3A.10) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703A.10)

Sec. 3A.10. Budget and Program. The Suburban Bus Board, subject to the powers of the Authority in Section 4.11, shall control the finances of the Division. It shall by ordinance appropriate money to perform the Division's purposes and provide for payment of debts and expenses of the Division. Each year the Suburban Bus Board shall prepare and publish a comprehensive annual budget and proposed five-year capital program document, and a financial plan for the 2 years thereafter describing the state of the Division and presenting for the forthcoming fiscal year and the 2 following years the Suburban Bus Board's plans for such operations and capital expenditures as it intends to undertake and the means by which it intends to finance them. The proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall be based on the Authority's estimate of funds to be made available to the Suburban Bus Board by or through the Authority and shall conform in all respects to the requirements established by the Authority. The proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall contain a statement of the funds estimated to be on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year, the funds estimated to be received from all sources for such year and the funds estimated to be on hand at the end of such year. The fiscal year of the Division shall be the same as the fiscal year of the Authority. Before the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program are submitted to the Authority, the Suburban Bus Board shall hold at least one public hearing thereon in each of the counties in the metropolitan region in which the Division provides service. The Suburban Bus Board shall hold at least one meeting for consideration of the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program with the county board of each of the several counties in the metropolitan region in which the Division provides service. Prior to the capital program being submitted to the Authority, the Suburban Bus Board shall hold at least one meeting for consideration of the proposed 5-year capital program with representatives of labor organizations that have a collective bargaining agreement with the Suburban Bus Board. After conducting such hearings and holding such meetings and after making such changes in the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program as the Suburban Bus Board deems appropriate, it shall adopt an annual budget ordinance at least by November 15 next preceding the beginning of each fiscal year. The budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall then be submitted to the Authority as provided in Section 4.11. In the event that the Board of the Authority determines that the budget and financial plan do not meet the standards of Section 4.11, the Suburban Bus Board shall make such changes as are necessary to meet such requirements and adopt an amended budget ordinance. The amended budget ordinance shall be resubmitted to the Authority pursuant to Section 4.11. The ordinance shall appropriate such sums of money as are deemed necessary to defray all necessary expenses and obligations of the Division, specifying purposes and the objects or programs for which appropriations are made and the amount appropriated for each object or program. Additional appropriations, transfers between items and other changes in such ordinance which do not alter the basis upon which the balanced budget determination was made by the Board of the Authority may be made from time to time by the Suburban Bus Board.

The budget shall:

(i) show a balance between (A) anticipated revenues from all sources including operating subsidies and (B) the costs of providing the services specified and of funding any operating deficits or encumbrances incurred in prior periods, including provision for payment when due of principal and interest on outstanding indebtedness;

(ii) show cash balances including the proceeds of any anticipated cash flow borrowing sufficient to pay with reasonable promptness all costs and expenses as incurred;

(iii) provide for a level of fares or charges and operating or administrative costs for the public transportation provided by or subject to the jurisdiction of the Suburban Bus Board sufficient to allow the Suburban Bus Board to meet its required system generated revenues recovery ratio and, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, its system generated ADA paratransit services revenue recovery ratio;

(iv) be based upon and employ assumptions and projections which are reasonable and prudent;

(v) have been prepared in accordance with sound financial practices as determined by the Board of the Authority;

(vi) meet such other uniform financial, budgetary, or fiscal requirements that the Board of the Authority may by rule or regulation establish; and

(vii) be consistent with the goals and objectives adopted by the Regional Transportation Authority in the Strategic Plan.

(Source: P.A. 94-370, eff. 7-29-05; 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3A.14) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703A.14)

Sec. 3A.14. Labor.

(a) The provisions of this Section apply to collective bargaining agreements (including extensions and amendments of existing agreements) entered into on or after January 1, 1984.

(b) The Suburban Bus Board shall deal with and enter into written contracts with their employees, through accredited representatives of such employees authorized to act for such employees concerning wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, and pension or retirement provisions about which a collective bargaining agreement has been entered prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983. Any such agreement of the Suburban Bus Board shall provide that the agreement may be reopened if the amended budget submitted pursuant to Section 2.18a of this Act is not approved by the Board of the Authority. The agreement may not include a provision requiring the payment of wage increases based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. The Suburban Bus Board shall not have the authority to enter collective bargaining agreements with respect to inherent management rights, which include such areas of discretion or policy as the functions of the employer, standards of services, its overall budget, the organizational structure and selection of new employees and direction of personnel. Employers, however, shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to policy matters directly affecting wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment, as well as the impact thereon, upon request by employee representatives. To preserve the rights of employers and exclusive representatives which have established collective bargaining relationships or negotiated collective bargaining agreements prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983, employers shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to any matter concerning wages, hours or conditions of employment about which they have bargained prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983.

(c) The collective bargaining agreement may not include a prohibition on the use of part-time operators on any service operated by the Suburban Bus Board except where prohibited by federal law.

(d) Within 30 days of the signing of any such collective bargaining agreement, the Suburban Bus Board shall determine the costs of each provision of the agreement, prepare an amended budget incorporating the costs of the agreement, and present the amended budget to the Board of the Authority for its approval under Section 4.11. The Board may approve the amended budget by an affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 members, beginning February 1, 2026. If the budget is not approved by the Board of the Authority, the agreement may be reopened and its terms may be renegotiated. Any amended budget which may be prepared following renegotiation shall be presented to the Board of the Authority for its approval in like manner.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3B.02) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703B.02)

Sec. 3B.02. Commuter Rail Board.

(a) Until April 1, 2008, the governing body of the Commuter Rail Division shall be a board consisting of 7 directors appointed pursuant to Sections 3B.03 and 3B.04, as follows:

(1) One director shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Board of DuPage County with the advice and consent of the County Board of DuPage County and shall reside in DuPage County.

(2) Two directors appointed by the Chairmen of the County Boards of Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties with the concurrence of not less than a majority of the chairmen from such counties, from nominees by the Chairmen. Each such chairman may nominate not more than two persons for each position. Each such director shall reside in a county in the metropolitan region other than Cook or DuPage County.

(3) Three directors appointed by the members of the Cook County Board elected from that part of Cook County outside of Chicago, or, in the event such Board of Commissioners becomes elected from single member districts, by those Commissioners elected from districts, a majority of the residents of which reside outside Chicago. In either case, such appointment shall be with the concurrence of four such Commissioners. Each such director shall reside in that part of Cook County outside Chicago.

(4) One director appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago, with the advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago. Such director shall reside in the City of Chicago.

(5) The chairman shall be appointed by the directors, from the members of the board, with the concurrence of 5 of such directors.

(b) After April 1, 2008 and before February 1, 2026, the governing body of the Commuter Rail Division shall be a board consisting of 11 directors appointed, pursuant to Sections 3B.03 and 3B.04, as follows:

(1) One Director shall be appointed by the Chairman of the DuPage County Board with the advice and consent of the DuPage County Board and shall reside in DuPage County. To implement the changes in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Director appointed under item (1) of subsection (a) of this Section who resides in DuPage County, a Director shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(2) One Director shall be appointed by the Chairman of the McHenry County Board with the advice and consent of the McHenry County Board and shall reside in McHenry County. To implement the change in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Director appointed under item (2) of subsection (a) of this Section who resides in McHenry County, a Director shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(3) One Director shall be appointed by the Will County Executive with the advice and consent of the Will County Board and shall reside in Will County. To implement the change in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Director appointed under item (2) of subsection (a) of this Section who resides in Will County, a Director shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(4) One Director shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Lake County Board with the advice and consent of the Lake County Board and shall reside in Lake County.

(5) One Director shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Kane County Board with the advice and consent of the Kane County Board and shall reside in Kane County.

(6) One Director shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago with the advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago and shall reside in the City of Chicago. To implement the changes in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Director appointed under item (4) of subsection (a) of this Section who resides in the City of Chicago, a Director shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(7) Five Directors residing in Cook County outside of the City of Chicago, as follows:

(i) One Director who resides in Cook County outside of the City of Chicago, appointed by the President of the Cook County Board with the advice and consent of the members of the Cook County Board.

(ii) One Director who resides in the township of Barrington, Palatine, Wheeling, Hanover, Schaumburg, or Elk Grove. To implement the changes in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Director appointed under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Section who resides in the geographic area described in this subparagraph, a Director shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(iii) One Director who resides in the township of Northfield, New Trier, Maine, Niles, Evanston, Leyden, Norwood Park, River Forest, or Oak Park.

(iv) One Director who resides in the township of Proviso, Riverside, Berwyn, Cicero, Lyons, Stickney, Lemont, Palos, or Orland. To implement the changes in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Director appointed under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Section who resides in the geographic area described in this subparagraph and whose term of office had not expired as of August 1, 2007, a Director shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(v) One Director who resides in the township of Worth, Calumet, Bremen, Thornton, Rich, or Bloom. To implement the changes in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Director appointed under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Section who resides in the geographic area described in this subparagraph and whose term of office had expired as of August 1, 2007, a Director shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(vi) The Directors identified under the provisions of subparagraphs (ii) through (v) of this paragraph (7) shall be appointed by the members of the Cook County Board. Each individual Director shall be appointed by those members of the Cook County Board whose Board districts overlap in whole or in part with the geographic territory described in the relevant subparagraph. The vote of County Board members eligible to appoint directors under the provisions of subparagraphs (ii) through (v) of this paragraph (7) shall be weighted by the number of electors residing in those portions of their Board districts within the geographic territory described in the relevant subparagraph (ii) through (v) of this paragraph (7).

(8) The Chairman shall be appointed by the Directors, from the members of the Board, with the concurrence of 8 of such Directors. To implement the changes in appointing authority under this Section, upon the expiration of the term of or vacancy in office of the Chairman appointed under item (5) of subsection (a) of this Section, a Chairman shall be appointed under this subparagraph.

(c) On and after February 1, 2026 the governing body of the Commuter Rail Division shall be a board consisting of 11 Directors appointed under Sections 3B.03 and 3B.04 as follows:

(1) One Director shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Chicago with the advice and consent of the City Council of the City of Chicago for an initial term of 4 years. Subsequent terms shall be 4 years. The Director appointed under this paragraph (1) shall reside within the City of Chicago.

(2) Five Directors shall be appointed by the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners with the advice and consent of the members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Of these 5 Directors, 3 shall have an initial term of 2 years, and 2 shall have an initial term of 4 years. Subsequent terms of all members shall be 4 years. The Directors appointed under this paragraph (2) shall reside in the part of Cook County outside the City of Chicago.

(3) One of the Directors appointed by the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners shall be a representative of organized labor. The Director appointed under this paragraph (3) shall reside within the 6-county region of the Authority and shall be selected from a list of 3 persons recommended by the president of a statewide labor organization representing labor organizations recognized under the National Labor Relations Act or the Railway Labor Act. If the Director has not been appointed within 60 days for the initial term, or appointed within 60 days of the expiration of a term or a vacancy, the first person on the list provided to the President of the Cook County Board shall automatically assume the office.

(4) Five Director's appointed by the Chairmen of the County Boards of DuPage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties and the County Executive of Will County as follows:

(A) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the DuPage County Board with the advice and consent of the DuPage County Board for an initial term of 4 years. Subsequent terms of the Director shall be 4 years to begin February 1, 2026. The appointment shall be made in time to begin the Director's term at this time. The Director appointed under this subparagraph (A) shall reside in DuPage County.

(B) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the Kane County Board with the advice and consent of the Kane County Board for an initial term to begin February 1, 2026. Subsequent terms of the Director shall be 4 years. The appointment shall be made in time to begin the Director's term on February 1, 2026. The Director appointed under this subparagraph (B) shall reside in Kane County.

(C) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the Lake County Board with the advice and consent of the Lake County Board for an initial term of 4 years to begin February 1, 2026. Subsequent terms of the Director shall be 4 years. The appointment shall be made in time to begin the Director's term at this time. The Director appointed under this subparagraph (C) shall reside in Lake County.

(D) One Director appointed by the Chairman of the McHenry County Board with the advice and consent of the McHenry County Board for an initial term of 2 years to begin February 1, 2026. Subsequent terms of the Director shall be 4 years. The appointment shall be made in time to begin the Director's term at this time. The Director appointed under this subparagraph (D) shall reside in McHenry County.

(E) One Director appointed by the County Executive of Will County with the advice and consent of the Will County Board for an initial term of 4 years to begin February 1, 2026. Subsequent terms of the Director shall be 4 years. The appointment shall be made in time to begin the Director's term at this time. The Director appointed under this subparagraph (E) shall reside in Will County.

(8) The Chairman serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall continue to serve as Chairman until February 1, 2026 or until a successor is appointed and qualified or a vacancy occurs in the office. As soon as possible after the Commuter Rail Board convenes following the appointments on February 1, 2026 as outlined in subsection (c) of this Section, a new Chairman shall be appointed. The Chairman shall be appointed from among the other Directors by the affirmative vote of at least 7 of the then Directors.

(d) A new Board of Directors shall be appointed as directed under subsection (c) of this Section to begin their terms on February 1, 2026. The appointments shall be made in time to begin their terms at this time. All Directors appointed under subsection (b) of this Section serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall retain their offices until February 1, 2026, or until the expiration of or vacancy of their respective terms of office. In the event of the expiration of the a term of office or a vacancy in these offices occurs prior to February 1, 2026, a new Director shall be appointed as provided by law. A Director serving in this position on January 31, 2026 may be reappointed if so chosen.

(e) Directors shall have diverse and substantial relevant experience and expertise in overseeing the planning, operation, and funding of a public transportation system, including, but not limited to, backgrounds in urban and regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor and workforce development, business management, public administration, transportation, and transit and ridership advocacy.

(c) No director, while serving as such, shall be an officer, a member of the board of directors or trustee or an employee of any transportation agency, or be an employee of the State of Illinois or any department or agency thereof, or of any county, municipality, or any other unit of local government or receive any compensation from any elected or appointed office under the Constitution and laws of Illinois.

(f) (d) Each appointment made under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section and under Section 3B.03 shall be certified by the appointing authority to the Commuter Rail Board which shall maintain the certifications as part of the official records of the Commuter Rail Board.

(Source: P.A. 98-709, eff. 7-16-14.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3B.09) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703B.09)

Sec. 3B.09. General Powers. In addition to any powers elsewhere provided to the Commuter Rail Board, it shall have all of the powers specified in Section 2.20 of this Act except for the powers specified in Section 2.20(a)(v). The Board shall also have the power:

(a) to cooperate with the Regional Transportation Authority in the exercise by the Regional Transportation Authority of all the powers granted it by such Act;

(b) to receive funds from the Regional Transportation Authority pursuant to Sections 2.02, 4.01, 4.02, 4.09 and 4.10 of the "Regional Transportation Authority Act", all as provided in the "Regional Transportation Authority Act";

(c) to receive financial grants from the Regional Transportation Authority or a Service Board, as defined in the "Regional Transportation Authority Act", upon such terms and conditions as shall be set forth in a grant contract between either the Division and the Regional Transportation Authority or the Division and another Service Board, which contract or agreement may be for such number of years or duration as the parties may agree, all as provided in the "Regional Transportation Authority Act"; and

(d) to borrow money for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, extending, or improving any Public Transportation Facilities (as defined in Section 1.03 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act) operated by or to be operated by or on behalf of the Commuter Rail Division. For the purpose of evidencing the obligation of the Commuter Rail Board to repay any money borrowed as provided in this subsection, the Commuter Rail Board may issue revenue bonds from time to time pursuant to ordinance adopted by the Commuter Rail Board, subject to the approval of the Regional Transportation Authority of each such issuance by the affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026; provided that the Commuter Rail Board may not issue bonds for the purpose of financing the acquisition, construction, or improvement of a corporate headquarters building. All such bonds shall be payable solely from the revenues or income or any other funds that the Commuter Rail Board may receive, provided that the Commuter Rail Board may not pledge as security for such bonds the moneys, if any, that the Commuter Rail Board receives from the Regional Transportation Authority pursuant to Section 4.03.3(f) of the Regional Transportation Authority Act. The bonds shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by the Bond Authorization Act and shall mature at such time or times not exceeding 25 years from their respective dates. Bonds issued pursuant to this paragraph must be issued with scheduled principal or mandatory redemption payments in equal amounts in each fiscal year over the term of the bonds, with the first principal or mandatory redemption payment scheduled within the fiscal year in which bonds are issued or within the next succeeding fiscal year. At least 25%, based on total principal amount, of all bonds authorized pursuant to this Section shall be sold pursuant to notice of sale and public bid. No more than 75%, based on total principal amount, of all bonds authorized pursuant to this Section shall be sold by negotiated sale. The maximum principal amount of the bonds that may be issued and outstanding at any time may not exceed $1,000,000,000. The bonds shall have all the qualities of negotiable instruments under the laws of this State. To secure the payment of any or all of such bonds and for the purpose of setting forth the covenants and undertakings of the Commuter Rail Board in connection with the issuance thereof and the issuance of any additional bonds payable from such revenue or income as well as the use and application of the revenue or income received by the Commuter Rail Board, the Commuter Rail Board may execute and deliver a trust agreement or agreements; provided that no lien upon any physical property of the Commuter Rail Board shall be created thereby. A remedy for any breach or default of the terms of any such trust agreement by the Commuter Rail Board may be by mandamus proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction to compel performance and compliance therewith, but the trust agreement may prescribe by whom or on whose behalf such action may be instituted. Under no circumstances shall any bonds issued by the Commuter Rail Board or any other obligation of the Commuter Rail Board in connection with the issuance of such bonds be or become an indebtedness or obligation of the State of Illinois, the Regional Transportation Authority, or any other political subdivision of or municipality within the State, nor shall any such bonds or obligations be or become an indebtedness of the Commuter Rail Board within the purview of any constitutional limitation or provision, and it shall be plainly stated on the face of each bond that it does not constitute such an indebtedness or obligation but is payable solely from the revenues or income as aforesaid.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3B.10) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703B.10)

Sec. 3B.10. Budget and Program. The Commuter Rail Board, subject to the powers of the Authority in Section 4.11, shall control the finances of the Division. It shall by ordinance appropriate money to perform the Division's purposes and provide for payment of debts and expenses of the Division. Each year the Commuter Rail Board shall prepare and publish a comprehensive annual budget and proposed five-year capital program document, and a financial plan for the two years thereafter describing the state of the Division and presenting for the forthcoming fiscal year and the two following years the Commuter Rail Board's plans for such operations and capital expenditures as the Commuter Rail Board intends to undertake and the means by which it intends to finance them. The proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall be based on the Authority's estimate of funds to be made available to the Commuter Rail Board by or through the Authority and shall conform in all respects to the requirements established by the Authority. The proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall contain a statement of the funds estimated to be on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year, the funds estimated to be received from all sources for such year and the funds estimated to be on hand at the end of such year. The fiscal year of the Division shall be the same as the fiscal year of the Authority. Before the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program are submitted to the Authority, the Commuter Rail Board shall hold at least one public hearing thereon in each of the counties in the metropolitan region in which the Division provides service. The Commuter Rail Board shall hold at least one meeting for consideration of the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital plan with the county board of each of the several counties in the metropolitan region in which the Division provides service. Prior to the capital program being submitted to the Authority, the Commuter Rail Board shall hold at least one meeting for consideration of the proposed 5-year capital program with representatives of labor organizations that have a collective bargaining agreement with the Commuter Rail Board. After conducting such hearings and holding such meetings and after making such changes in the proposed budget, financial plan, and five-year capital plan as the Commuter Rail Board deems appropriate, the board shall adopt its annual budget ordinance at least by November 15 next preceding the beginning of each fiscal year. The budget, financial plan, and five-year capital program shall then be submitted to the Authority as provided in Section 4.11. In the event that the Board of the Authority determines that the budget and program, and financial plan do not meet the standards of Section 4.11, the Commuter Rail Board shall make such changes as are necessary to meet such requirements and adopt an amended budget ordinance. The amended budget ordinance shall be resubmitted to the Authority pursuant to Section 4.11. The ordinance shall appropriate such sums of money as are deemed necessary to defray all necessary expenses and obligations of the Division, specifying purposes and the objects or programs for which appropriations are made and the amount appropriated for each object or program. Additional appropriations, transfers between items and other changes in such ordinance which do not alter the basis upon which the balanced budget determination was made by the Board of the Authority may be made from time to time by the Commuter Rail Board.

The budget shall:

(i) show a balance between (A) anticipated revenues from all sources including operating subsidies and (B) the costs of providing the services specified and of funding any operating deficits or encumbrances incurred in prior periods, including provision for payment when due of principal and interest on outstanding indebtedness;

(ii) show cash balances including the proceeds of any anticipated cash flow borrowing sufficient to pay with reasonable promptness all costs and expenses as incurred;

(iii) provide for a level of fares or charges for the public transportation provided by or subject to the jurisdiction of such Commuter Rail Board sufficient to allow the Commuter Rail Board to meet its required system generated revenue recovery ratio;

(iv) be based upon and employ assumptions and projections which the Board of the Authority finds to be reasonable and prudent;

(v) have been prepared in accordance with sound financial practices as determined by the Board of the Authority;

(vi) meet such other uniform financial, budgetary, or fiscal requirements that the Board of the Authority may by rule or regulation establish; and

(vii) be consistent with the goals and objectives adopted by the Regional Transportation Authority in the Strategic Plan.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/3B.13) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 703B.13)

Sec. 3B.13. Labor.

(a) The provisions of this Section apply to collective bargaining agreements (including extensions and amendments of existing agreements) entered into on or after January 1, 1984. This Section does not apply to collective bargaining agreements that are subject to the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, as now or hereafter amended.

(b) The Commuter Rail Board shall deal with and enter into written contracts with their employees, through accredited representatives of such employees authorized to act for such employees concerning wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, and pension or retirement provisions about which a collective bargaining agreement has been entered prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983. Any such agreement of the Commuter Rail Board shall provide that the agreement may be reopened if the amended budget submitted pursuant to Section 2.18a of this Act is not approved by the Board of the Authority. The agreement may not include a provision requiring the payment of wage increases based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. The Commuter Rail Board shall not have the authority to enter collective bargaining agreements with respect to inherent management rights which include such areas of discretion or policy as the functions of the employer, standards of services, its overall budget, the organizational structure and selection of new employees and direction of personnel. Employers, however, shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to policy matters directly affecting wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment, as well as the impact thereon, upon request by employee representatives. To preserve the rights of the Commuter Rail Board and exclusive representatives which have established collective bargaining relationships or negotiated collective bargaining agreements prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983, the Commuter Rail Board shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to any matter concerning wages, hours or conditions of employment about which they have bargained prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983.

(c) The collective bargaining agreement may not include a prohibition on the use of part-time operators on any service operated by the Commuter Rail Board except where prohibited by federal law.

(d) Within 30 days of the signing of any such collective bargaining agreement, the Commuter Rail Board shall determine the costs of each provision of the agreement, prepare an amended budget incorporating the costs of the agreement, and present the amended budget to the Board of the Authority for its approval under Section 4.11. The Board may approve the amended budget by an affirmative vote of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. If the budget is not approved by the Board of the Authority, the agreement may be reopened and its terms may be renegotiated. Any amended budget which may be prepared following renegotiation shall be presented to the Board of the Authority for its approval in like manner.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.01) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 704.01)

Sec. 4.01. Budget and Program.

(a) The Board shall control the finances of the Authority. It shall by ordinance adopted by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, (i) appropriate money to perform the Authority's purposes and provide for payment of debts and expenses of the Authority, (ii) take action with respect to the budget and two-year financial plan of each Service Board, as provided in Section 4.11, and (iii) adopt an Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan for the Authority that includes the annual budget and two-year financial plan of each Service Board that has been approved by the Authority. The Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan shall contain a statement of the funds estimated to be on hand for the Authority and each Service Board at the beginning of the fiscal year, the funds estimated to be received from all sources for such year, the estimated expenses and obligations of the Authority and each Service Board for all purposes, including expenses for contributions to be made with respect to pension and other employee benefits, and the funds estimated to be on hand at the end of such year. The fiscal year of the Authority and each Service Board shall begin on January 1st and end on the succeeding December 31st. By July 1st of each year the Director of the Illinois Governor's Office of Management and Budget (formerly Bureau of the Budget) shall submit to the Authority an estimate of revenues for the next fiscal year of the Authority to be collected from the taxes imposed by the Authority and the amounts to be available in the Public Transportation Fund and the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund and the amounts otherwise to be appropriated by the State to the Authority for its purposes. The Authority shall file a copy of its Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan with the General Assembly and the Governor after its adoption. Before the proposed Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan is adopted, the Authority shall hold at least one public hearing thereon in the metropolitan region, and shall meet with the county board or its designee of each of the several counties in the metropolitan region. After conducting such hearings and holding such meetings and after making such changes in the proposed Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan as the Board deems appropriate, the Board shall adopt its annual appropriation and Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan ordinance. The ordinance may be adopted only upon the affirmative votes of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. The ordinance shall appropriate such sums of money as are deemed necessary to defray all necessary expenses and obligations of the Authority, specifying purposes and the objects or programs for which appropriations are made and the amount appropriated for each object or program. Additional appropriations, transfers between items and other changes in such ordinance may be made from time to time by the Board upon the affirmative votes of 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026.

(b) The Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan shall show a balance between anticipated revenues from all sources and anticipated expenses including funding of operating deficits or the discharge of encumbrances incurred in prior periods and payment of principal and interest when due, and shall show cash balances sufficient to pay with reasonable promptness all obligations and expenses as incurred.

The Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan must show:

(i) that the level of fares and charges for mass transportation provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Service Boards is sufficient to cause the aggregate of all projected fare revenues from such fares and charges received in each fiscal year to equal at least 50% of the aggregate costs of providing such public transportation in such fiscal year. However, due to the fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aggregate of all projected fare revenues from such fares and charges received in fiscal years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 may be less than 50% of the aggregate costs of providing such public transportation in those fiscal years. The aggregate of all projected fare revenues from such fares and charges received in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 shall equal at least 25% of the aggregate cost of providing such public transportation in those fiscal years. The aggregate of all projected fare revenues from such fares and charges received in fiscal years 2028 and 2029 and for every fiscal year thereafter shall equal at least 15% of the aggregate cost of providing such public transportation in those fiscal years. Prior to the beginning of fiscal year 2030, the General Assembly shall reevaluate and determine the appropriate system generated revenues recovery ratio for future years. "Fare revenues" include the proceeds of all fares and charges for services provided, contributions received in connection with public transportation from units of local government other than the Authority, except for contributions received by the Chicago Transit Authority from a real estate transfer tax imposed under subsection (i) of Section 8-3-19 of the Illinois Municipal Code, and from the State pursuant to subsection (i) of Section 2705-305 of the Department of Transportation Law (20 ILCS 2705/2705-305), and all other operating revenues properly included consistent with generally accepted accounting principles but do not include: the proceeds of any borrowings, and, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, all revenues and receipts, including but not limited to fares and grants received from the federal, State or any unit of local government or other entity, derived from providing ADA paratransit service pursuant to Section 2.30 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act. "Costs" include all items properly included as operating costs consistent with generally accepted accounting principles, including administrative costs, but do not include: depreciation; payment of principal and interest on bonds, notes or other evidences of obligation for borrowed money issued by the Authority; payments with respect to public transportation facilities made pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 2.20 of this Act; any payments with respect to rate protection contracts, credit enhancements or liquidity agreements made under Section 4.14; any other cost to which it is reasonably expected that a cash expenditure will not be made; costs for passenger security including grants, contracts, personnel, equipment and administrative expenses, except in the case of the Chicago Transit Authority, in which case the term does not include costs spent annually by that entity for protection against crime as required by Section 27a of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act; the payment by the Chicago Transit Authority of Debt Service, as defined in Section 12c of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, on bonds or notes issued pursuant to that Section; the payment by the Commuter Rail Division of debt service on bonds issued pursuant to Section 3B.09; expenses incurred by the Suburban Bus Division for the cost of new public transportation services funded from grants pursuant to Section 2.01e of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly for a period of 2 years from the date of initiation of each such service; costs as exempted by the Board for projects pursuant to Section 2.09 of this Act; or, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, expenses related to providing ADA paratransit service pursuant to Section 2.30 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act; and in fiscal years 2008 through 2012 inclusive, costs in the amount of $200,000,000 in fiscal year 2008, reducing by $40,000,000 in each fiscal year thereafter until this exemption is eliminated; and expenses incurred by any and all Service Boards for the cost of new public transportation services for a period of 2 years from the date of initiation of each such service; and

(ii) that the level of fares charged for ADA paratransit services is sufficient to cause the aggregate of all projected revenues from such fares charged and received in each fiscal year to equal at least 10% of the aggregate costs of providing such ADA paratransit services. However, due to the fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aggregate of all projected fare revenues from such fares and charges received in fiscal years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 may be less than 10% of the aggregate costs of providing such ADA paratransit services in those fiscal years. The aggregate of all projected revenues from such fares charged and received in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 shall equal at least 5% of the aggregate costs of providing such ADA paratransit services in those fiscal years. The aggregate of all projected revenues from such fares charged and received in fiscal years 2028 and 2029 and every fiscal year thereafter shall equal at least 3% of the aggregate costs of providing such ADA paratransit services in those fiscal years. Prior to the beginning of fiscal year 2030, the General Assembly shall reevaluate and determine the appropriate system generated revenues recovery ratio for ADA paratransit services for future years. For purposes of this Act, the percentages in this subsection (b)(ii) shall be referred to as the "system generated ADA paratransit services revenue recovery ratio". For purposes of the system generated ADA paratransit services revenue recovery ratio, "costs" shall include all items properly included as operating costs consistent with generally accepted accounting principles. However, the Board may exclude from costs an amount that does not exceed the allowable "capital costs of contracting" for ADA paratransit services pursuant to the Federal Transit Administration guidelines for the Urbanized Area Formula Program.

The Authority shall file a statement certifying that the Service Boards published the data described in subsection (b-5) with the General Assembly and the Governor after adoption of the Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan required by subsection (a). If the Authority fails to file a statement certifying publication of the data, then the appropriations to the Department of Transportation for grants to the Authority intended to reimburse the Service Boards for providing free and reduced fares shall be withheld.

(b-5) For fiscal years 2024, and 2025, 2026, and every year thereafter, the Service Boards must publish a monthly comprehensive set of data regarding transit service and safety. The data included shall include information to track operations including:

(1) staffing levels, including numbers of budgeted positions, current positions employed, hired staff, attrition, staff in training, and absenteeism rates;

(2) scheduled service and delivered service, including percentage of scheduled service delivered by day, service by mode of transportation, service by route and rail line, total number of revenue miles driven, excess wait times by day, by mode of transportation, by bus route, and by stop; and

(3) safety on the system, including the number of incidents of crime and code of conduct violations on system, any performance measures used to evaluate the effectiveness of investments in private security, safety equipment, and other security investments in the system. If no performance measures exist to evaluate the effectiveness of these safety investments, the Service Boards and Authority shall develop and publish these performance measures.

The Authority and Service Boards shall solicit input and ideas on publishing data on the service reliability, operations, and safety of the system from the public and groups representing transit riders, workers, and businesses.

(c) The actual administrative expenses of the Authority for the fiscal year commencing January 1, 1985 may not exceed $5,000,000. The actual administrative expenses of the Authority for the fiscal year commencing January 1, 1986, and for each fiscal year thereafter shall not exceed the maximum administrative expenses for the previous fiscal year plus 5%. "Administrative expenses" are defined for purposes of this Section as all expenses except: (1) capital expenses and purchases of the Authority on behalf of the Service Boards; (2) payments to Service Boards; and (3) payment of principal and interest on bonds, notes or other evidence of obligation for borrowed money issued by the Authority; (4) costs for passenger security including grants, contracts, personnel, equipment and administrative expenses; (5) payments with respect to public transportation facilities made pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 2.20 of this Act; and (6) any payments with respect to rate protection contracts, credit enhancements or liquidity agreements made pursuant to Section 4.14.

(d) This subsection applies only until the Department begins administering and enforcing an increased tax under Section 4.03(m) as authorized by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly. After withholding 15% of the proceeds of any tax imposed by the Authority and 15% of money received by the Authority from the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund, the Board shall allocate the proceeds and money remaining to the Service Boards as follows: (1) an amount equal to 85% of the proceeds of those taxes collected within the City of Chicago and 85% of the money received by the Authority on account of transfers to the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund from the County and Mass Transit District Fund attributable to retail sales within the City of Chicago shall be allocated to the Chicago Transit Authority; (2) an amount equal to 85% of the proceeds of those taxes collected within Cook County outside the City of Chicago and 85% of the money received by the Authority on account of transfers to the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund from the County and Mass Transit District Fund attributable to retail sales within Cook County outside of the city of Chicago shall be allocated 30% to the Chicago Transit Authority, 55% to the Commuter Rail Board and 15% to the Suburban Bus Board; and (3) an amount equal to 85% of the proceeds of the taxes collected within the Counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will shall be allocated 70% to the Commuter Rail Board and 30% to the Suburban Bus Board.

(e) This subsection applies only until the Department begins administering and enforcing an increased tax under Section 4.03(m) as authorized by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly. Moneys received by the Authority on account of transfers to the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund from the State and Local Sales Tax Reform Fund shall be allocated among the Authority and the Service Boards as follows: 15% of such moneys shall be retained by the Authority and the remaining 85% shall be transferred to the Service Boards as soon as may be practicable after the Authority receives payment. Moneys which are distributable to the Service Boards pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be allocated among the Service Boards on the basis of each Service Board's distribution ratio. The term "distribution ratio" means, for purposes of this subsection (e) of this Section 4.01, the ratio of the total amount distributed to a Service Board pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 4.01 for the immediately preceding calendar year to the total amount distributed to all of the Service Boards pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 4.01 for the immediately preceding calendar year.

(f) To carry out its duties and responsibilities under this Act, the Board shall employ staff which shall: (1) propose for adoption by the Board of the Authority rules for the Service Boards that establish (i) forms and schedules to be used and information required to be provided with respect to a five-year capital program, annual budgets, and two-year financial plans and regular reporting of actual results against adopted budgets and financial plans, (ii) financial practices to be followed in the budgeting and expenditure of public funds, (iii) assumptions and projections that must be followed in preparing and submitting its annual budget and two-year financial plan or a five-year capital program; (2) evaluate for the Board public transportation programs operated or proposed by the Service Boards and transportation agencies in terms of the goals and objectives set out in the Strategic Plan; (3) keep the Board and the public informed of the extent to which the Service Boards and transportation agencies are meeting the goals and objectives adopted by the Authority in the Strategic Plan; and (4) assess the efficiency or adequacy of public transportation services provided by a Service Board and make recommendations for change in that service to the end that the moneys available to the Authority may be expended in the most economical manner possible with the least possible duplication.

(g) All Service Boards, transportation agencies, comprehensive planning agencies, including the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, or transportation planning agencies in the metropolitan region shall furnish to the Authority such information pertaining to public transportation or relevant for plans therefor as it may from time to time require. The Executive Director, or his or her designee, shall, for the purpose of securing any such information necessary or appropriate to carry out any of the powers and responsibilities of the Authority under this Act, have access to, and the right to examine, all books, documents, papers or records of a Service Board or any transportation agency receiving funds from the Authority or Service Board, and such Service Board or transportation agency shall comply with any request by the Executive Director, or his or her designee, within 30 days or an extended time provided by the Executive Director.

(h) No Service Board shall undertake any capital improvement which is not identified in the Five-Year Capital Program.

(i) Each Service Board shall furnish to the Board access to its financial information including, but not limited to, audits and reports. The Board shall have real-time access to the financial information of the Service Boards; however, the Board shall be granted read-only access to the Service Board's financial information.

(Source: P.A. 102-678, eff. 12-10-21; 103-281, eff. 1-1-24.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.03)

Sec. 4.03. Taxes.

(a) In order to carry out any of the powers or purposes of the Authority, the Board may, by ordinance adopted with the concurrence of 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of the then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, impose throughout the metropolitan region any or all of the taxes provided in this Section. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, taxes imposed under this Section and civil penalties imposed incident thereto shall be collected and enforced by the State Department of Revenue. The Department shall have the power to administer and enforce the taxes and to determine all rights for refunds for erroneous payments of the taxes. Nothing in Public Act 95-708 is intended to invalidate any taxes currently imposed by the Authority. The increased vote requirements to impose a tax shall only apply to actions taken after January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-708).

(b) The Board may impose a public transportation tax upon all persons engaged in the metropolitan region in the business of selling at retail motor fuel for operation of motor vehicles upon public highways. The tax shall be at a rate not to exceed 5% of the gross receipts from the sales of motor fuel in the course of the business. As used in this Act, the term "motor fuel" shall have the same meaning as in the Motor Fuel Tax Law. The Board may provide for details of the tax. The provisions of any tax shall conform, as closely as may be practicable, to the provisions of the Municipal Retailers Occupation Tax Act, including, without limitation, conformity to penalties with respect to the tax imposed and as to the powers of the State Department of Revenue to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations relating to the administration and enforcement of the provisions of the tax imposed, except that reference in the Act to any municipality shall refer to the Authority and the tax shall be imposed only with regard to receipts from sales of motor fuel in the metropolitan region, at rates as limited by this Section.

(c) In connection with the tax imposed under paragraph (b) of this Section, the Board may impose a tax upon the privilege of using in the metropolitan region motor fuel for the operation of a motor vehicle upon public highways, the tax to be at a rate not in excess of the rate of tax imposed under paragraph (b) of this Section. The Board may provide for details of the tax.

(d) The Board may impose a motor vehicle parking tax upon the privilege of parking motor vehicles at off-street parking facilities in the metropolitan region at which a fee is charged, and may provide for reasonable classifications in and exemptions to the tax, for administration and enforcement thereof and for civil penalties and refunds thereunder and may provide criminal penalties thereunder, the maximum penalties not to exceed the maximum criminal penalties provided in the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. The Authority may collect and enforce the tax itself or by contract with any unit of local government. The State Department of Revenue shall have no responsibility for the collection and enforcement unless the Department agrees with the Authority to undertake the collection and enforcement. As used in this paragraph, the term "parking facility" means a parking area or structure having parking spaces for more than 2 vehicles at which motor vehicles are permitted to park in return for an hourly, daily, or other periodic fee, whether publicly or privately owned, but does not include parking spaces on a public street, the use of which is regulated by parking meters.

(e) The Board may impose a Regional Transportation Authority Retailers' Occupation Tax upon all persons engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail in the metropolitan region. In Cook County, the tax rate shall be 1.25% of the gross receipts from sales of food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, food consisting of or infused with adult use cannabis, soft drinks, candy, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption) and tangible personal property taxed at the 1% rate under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and 1% of the gross receipts from other taxable sales made in the course of that business. In DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, the tax rate shall be 0.75% of the gross receipts from all taxable sales made in the course of that business. The rate of tax imposed in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties under this Section on sales of aviation fuel on or after December 1, 2019 shall, however, be 0.25% unless the Regional Transportation Authority in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties has an "airport-related purpose" and the additional 0.50% of the 0.75% tax on aviation fuel is expended for airport-related purposes. If there is no airport-related purpose to which aviation fuel tax revenue is dedicated, then aviation fuel is excluded from the additional 0.50% of the 0.75% tax. The tax imposed under this Section and all civil penalties that may be assessed as an incident thereof shall be collected and enforced by the State Department of Revenue. The Department shall have full power to administer and enforce this Section; to collect all taxes and penalties so collected in the manner hereinafter provided; and to determine all rights to credit memoranda arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax or penalty hereunder. In the administration of, and compliance with this Section, the Department and persons who are subject to this Section shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers, and duties, and be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties, exclusions, exemptions, and definitions of terms, and employ the same modes of procedure, as are prescribed in Sections 1, 1a, 1a-1, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1i, 1j, 2 through 2-65 (in respect to all provisions therein other than the State rate of tax), 2c, 3 (except as to the disposition of taxes and penalties collected, and except that the retailer's discount is not allowed for taxes paid on aviation fuel that are subject to the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133), 4, 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, 5j, 5k, 5l, 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and Section 3-7 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, as fully as if those provisions were set forth herein.

The Board and DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties must comply with the certification requirements for airport-related purposes under Section 2-22 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. For purposes of this Section, "airport-related purposes" has the meaning ascribed in Section 6z-20.2 of the State Finance Act. This exclusion for aviation fuel only applies for so long as the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133 are binding on the Authority.

Persons subject to any tax imposed under the authority granted in this Section may reimburse themselves for their seller's tax liability hereunder by separately stating the tax as an additional charge, which charge may be stated in combination in a single amount with State taxes that sellers are required to collect under the Use Tax Act, under any bracket schedules the Department may prescribe.

Whenever the Department determines that a refund should be made under this Section to a claimant instead of issuing a credit memorandum, the Department shall notify the State Comptroller, who shall cause the warrant to be drawn for the amount specified, and to the person named, in the notification from the Department. The refund shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund established under paragraph (n) of this Section or the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund, as appropriate.

If a tax is imposed under this subsection (e), a tax shall also be imposed under subsections (f) and (g) of this Section.

For the purpose of determining whether a tax authorized under this Section is applicable, a retail sale by a producer of coal or other mineral mined in Illinois, is a sale at retail at the place where the coal or other mineral mined in Illinois is extracted from the earth. This paragraph does not apply to coal or other mineral when it is delivered or shipped by the seller to the purchaser at a point outside Illinois so that the sale is exempt under the Federal Constitution as a sale in interstate or foreign commerce.

No tax shall be imposed or collected under this subsection on the sale of a motor vehicle in this State to a resident of another state if that motor vehicle will not be titled in this State.

Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize the Regional Transportation Authority to impose a tax upon the privilege of engaging in any business that under the Constitution of the United States may not be made the subject of taxation by this State.

(f) If a tax has been imposed under paragraph (e), a Regional Transportation Authority Service Occupation Tax shall also be imposed upon all persons engaged, in the metropolitan region in the business of making sales of service, who, as an incident to making the sales of service, transfer tangible personal property within the metropolitan region, either in the form of tangible personal property or in the form of real estate as an incident to a sale of service. In Cook County, the tax rate shall be: (1) 1.25% of the serviceman's cost price of food prepared for immediate consumption and transferred incident to a sale of service subject to the service occupation tax by an entity that is located in the metropolitan region and that is licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act, the Nursing Home Care Act, the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Child Care Act of 1969, or an entity that holds a permit issued pursuant to the Life Care Facilities Act; (2) 1.25% of the selling price of food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, food consisting of or infused with adult use cannabis, soft drinks, candy, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption) and tangible personal property taxed at the 1% rate under the Service Occupation Tax Act; and (3) 1% of the selling price from other taxable sales of tangible personal property transferred. In DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, the rate shall be 0.75% of the selling price of all tangible personal property transferred. The rate of tax imposed in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties under this Section on sales of aviation fuel on or after December 1, 2019 shall, however, be 0.25% unless the Regional Transportation Authority in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties has an "airport-related purpose" and the additional 0.50% of the 0.75% tax on aviation fuel is expended for airport-related purposes. If there is no airport-related purpose to which aviation fuel tax revenue is dedicated, then aviation fuel is excluded from the additional 0.5% of the 0.75% tax.

The Board and DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties must comply with the certification requirements for airport-related purposes under Section 2-22 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. For purposes of this Section, "airport-related purposes" has the meaning ascribed in Section 6z-20.2 of the State Finance Act. This exclusion for aviation fuel only applies for so long as the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133 are binding on the Authority.

The tax imposed under this paragraph and all civil penalties that may be assessed as an incident thereof shall be collected and enforced by the State Department of Revenue. The Department shall have full power to administer and enforce this paragraph; to collect all taxes and penalties due hereunder; to dispose of taxes and penalties collected in the manner hereinafter provided; and to determine all rights to credit memoranda arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax or penalty hereunder. In the administration of and compliance with this paragraph, the Department and persons who are subject to this paragraph shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers, and duties, and be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties, exclusions, exemptions, and definitions of terms, and employ the same modes of procedure, as are prescribed in Sections 1a-1, 2, 2a, 3 through 3-50 (in respect to all provisions therein other than the State rate of tax), 4 (except that the reference to the State shall be to the Authority), 5, 7, 8 (except that the jurisdiction to which the tax shall be a debt to the extent indicated in that Section 8 shall be the Authority), 9 (except as to the disposition of taxes and penalties collected, and except that the returned merchandise credit for this tax may not be taken against any State tax, and except that the retailer's discount is not allowed for taxes paid on aviation fuel that are subject to the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133), 10, 11, 12 (except the reference therein to Section 2b of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act), 13 (except that any reference to the State shall mean the Authority), the first paragraph of Section 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 of the Service Occupation Tax Act and Section 3-7 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, as fully as if those provisions were set forth herein.

Persons subject to any tax imposed under the authority granted in this paragraph may reimburse themselves for their serviceman's tax liability hereunder by separately stating the tax as an additional charge, that charge may be stated in combination in a single amount with State tax that servicemen are authorized to collect under the Service Use Tax Act, under any bracket schedules the Department may prescribe.

Whenever the Department determines that a refund should be made under this paragraph to a claimant instead of issuing a credit memorandum, the Department shall notify the State Comptroller, who shall cause the warrant to be drawn for the amount specified, and to the person named in the notification from the Department. The refund shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund established under paragraph (n) of this Section or the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund, as appropriate.

Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to authorize the Authority to impose a tax upon the privilege of engaging in any business that under the Constitution of the United States may not be made the subject of taxation by the State.

(g) If a tax has been imposed under paragraph (e), a tax shall also be imposed upon the privilege of using in the metropolitan region, any item of tangible personal property that is purchased outside the metropolitan region at retail from a retailer, and that is titled or registered with an agency of this State's government. In Cook County, the tax rate shall be 1% of the selling price of the tangible personal property, as "selling price" is defined in the Use Tax Act. In DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, the tax rate shall be 0.75% of the selling price of the tangible personal property, as "selling price" is defined in the Use Tax Act. The tax shall be collected from persons whose Illinois address for titling or registration purposes is given as being in the metropolitan region. The tax shall be collected by the Department of Revenue for the Regional Transportation Authority. The tax must be paid to the State, or an exemption determination must be obtained from the Department of Revenue, before the title or certificate of registration for the property may be issued. The tax or proof of exemption may be transmitted to the Department by way of the State agency with which, or the State officer with whom, the tangible personal property must be titled or registered if the Department and the State agency or State officer determine that this procedure will expedite the processing of applications for title or registration.

The Department shall have full power to administer and enforce this paragraph; to collect all taxes, penalties, and interest due hereunder; to dispose of taxes, penalties, and interest collected in the manner hereinafter provided; and to determine all rights to credit memoranda or refunds arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax, penalty, or interest hereunder. In the administration of and compliance with this paragraph, the Department and persons who are subject to this paragraph shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers, and duties, and be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties, exclusions, exemptions, and definitions of terms and employ the same modes of procedure, as are prescribed in Sections 2 (except the definition of "retailer maintaining a place of business in this State"), 3 through 3-80 (except provisions pertaining to the State rate of tax, and except provisions concerning collection or refunding of the tax by retailers), 4, 11, 12, 12a, 14, 15, 19 (except the portions pertaining to claims by retailers and except the last paragraph concerning refunds), 20, 21, and 22 of the Use Tax Act, and are not inconsistent with this paragraph, as fully as if those provisions were set forth herein.

Whenever the Department determines that a refund should be made under this paragraph to a claimant instead of issuing a credit memorandum, the Department shall notify the State Comptroller, who shall cause the order to be drawn for the amount specified, and to the person named in the notification from the Department. The refund shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund established under paragraph (n) of this Section.

(g-5) If, on January 1, 2025, a unit of local government has in effect a tax under subsections (e), (f), and (g), or if, after January 1, 2025, a unit of local government imposes a tax under subsections (e), (f), and (g), then that tax applies to leases of tangible personal property in effect, entered into, or renewed on or after that date in the same manner as the tax under this Section and in accordance with the changes made by Public Act 103-592 this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.

(h) The Authority may impose a replacement vehicle tax of $50 on any passenger car as defined in Section 1-157 of the Illinois Vehicle Code purchased within the metropolitan region by or on behalf of an insurance company to replace a passenger car of an insured person in settlement of a total loss claim. The tax imposed may not become effective before the first day of the month following the passage of the ordinance imposing the tax and receipt of a certified copy of the ordinance by the Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue shall collect the tax for the Authority in accordance with Sections 3-2002 and 3-2003 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

The Department shall immediately pay over to the State Treasurer, ex officio, as trustee, all taxes collected hereunder.

As soon as possible after the first day of each month, beginning January 1, 2011, upon certification of the Department of Revenue, the Comptroller shall order transferred, and the Treasurer shall transfer, to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund the local sales tax increment, as defined in the Innovation Development and Economy Act, collected under this Section during the second preceding calendar month for sales within a STAR bond district.

After the monthly transfer to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund, on or before the 25th day of each calendar month, the Department shall prepare and certify to the Comptroller the disbursement of stated sums of money to the Authority. The amount to be paid to the Authority shall be the amount collected hereunder during the second preceding calendar month by the Department, less any amount determined by the Department to be necessary for the payment of refunds, and less any amounts that are transferred to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund. Within 10 days after receipt by the Comptroller of the disbursement certification to the Authority provided for in this Section to be given to the Comptroller by the Department, the Comptroller shall cause the orders to be drawn for that amount in accordance with the directions contained in the certification.

(i) The Board may not impose any other taxes except as it may from time to time be authorized by law to impose.

(j) A certificate of registration issued by the State Department of Revenue to a retailer under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act or under the Service Occupation Tax Act shall permit the registrant to engage in a business that is taxed under the tax imposed under paragraphs (b), (e), (f) or (g) of this Section and no additional registration shall be required under the tax. A certificate issued under the Use Tax Act or the Service Use Tax Act shall be applicable with regard to any tax imposed under paragraph (c) of this Section.

(k) The provisions of any tax imposed under paragraph (c) of this Section shall conform as closely as may be practicable to the provisions of the Use Tax Act, including, without limitation, conformity as to penalties with respect to the tax imposed and as to the powers of the State Department of Revenue to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations relating to the administration and enforcement of the provisions of the tax imposed. The taxes shall be imposed only on use within the metropolitan region and at rates as provided in the paragraph.

(l) The Board in imposing any tax as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section, shall, after seeking the advice of the State Department of Revenue, provide means for retailers, users or purchasers of motor fuel for purposes other than those with regard to which the taxes may be imposed as provided in those paragraphs to receive refunds of taxes improperly paid, which provisions may be at variance with the refund provisions as applicable under the Municipal Retailers Occupation Tax Act. The State Department of Revenue may provide for certificates of registration for users or purchasers of motor fuel for purposes other than those with regard to which taxes may be imposed as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section to facilitate the reporting and nontaxability of the exempt sales or uses.

(m) Any ordinance imposing or discontinuing any tax under this Section shall be adopted and a certified copy thereof filed with the Department on or before June 1, whereupon the Department of Revenue shall proceed to administer and enforce this Section on behalf of the Regional Transportation Authority as of September 1 next following such adoption and filing. Beginning January 1, 1992, an ordinance or resolution imposing or discontinuing the tax hereunder shall be adopted and a certified copy thereof filed with the Department on or before the first day of July, whereupon the Department shall proceed to administer and enforce this Section as of the first day of October next following such adoption and filing. Beginning January 1, 1993, an ordinance or resolution imposing, increasing, decreasing, or discontinuing the tax hereunder shall be adopted and a certified copy thereof filed with the Department, whereupon the Department shall proceed to administer and enforce this Section as of the first day of the first month to occur not less than 60 days following such adoption and filing. Any ordinance or resolution of the Authority imposing a tax under this Section and in effect on August 1, 2007 shall remain in full force and effect and shall be administered by the Department of Revenue under the terms and conditions and rates of tax established by such ordinance or resolution until the Department begins administering and enforcing an increased tax under this Section as authorized by Public Act 95-708. The tax rates authorized by Public Act 95-708 are effective only if imposed by ordinance of the Authority.

(n) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (n), the State Department of Revenue shall, upon collecting any taxes as provided in this Section, pay the taxes over to the State Treasurer as trustee for the Authority. The taxes shall be held in a trust fund outside the State Treasury. If an airport-related purpose has been certified, taxes and penalties collected in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019 from the 0.50% of the 0.75% rate shall be immediately paid over by the Department to the State Treasurer, ex officio, as trustee, for deposit into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund. The Department shall only pay moneys into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund under this Act for so long as the revenue use requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47107(b) and 49 U.S.C. 47133 are binding on the Authority. On or before the 25th day of each calendar month, the State Department of Revenue shall prepare and certify to the Comptroller of the State of Illinois and to the Authority (i) the amount of taxes collected in each county other than Cook County in the metropolitan region, (not including, if an airport-related purpose has been certified, the taxes and penalties collected from the 0.50% of the 0.75% rate on aviation fuel sold on or after December 1, 2019 that are deposited into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund) (ii) the amount of taxes collected within the City of Chicago, and (iii) the amount collected in that portion of Cook County outside of Chicago, each amount less the amount necessary for the payment of refunds to taxpayers located in those areas described in items (i), (ii), and (iii), and less 1.5% of the remainder, which shall be transferred from the trust fund into the Tax Compliance and Administration Fund. The Department, at the time of each monthly disbursement to the Authority, shall prepare and certify to the State Comptroller the amount to be transferred into the Tax Compliance and Administration Fund under this subsection. Within 10 days after receipt by the Comptroller of the certification of the amounts, the Comptroller shall cause an order to be drawn for the transfer of the amount certified into the Tax Compliance and Administration Fund and the payment of two-thirds of the amounts certified in item (i) of this subsection to the Authority and one-third of the amounts certified in item (i) of this subsection to the respective counties other than Cook County and the amount certified in items (ii) and (iii) of this subsection to the Authority.

In addition to the disbursement required by the preceding paragraph, an allocation shall be made in July 1991 and each year thereafter to the Regional Transportation Authority. The allocation shall be made in an amount equal to the average monthly distribution during the preceding calendar year (excluding the 2 months of lowest receipts) and the allocation shall include the amount of average monthly distribution from the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund. The distribution made in July 1992 and each year thereafter under this paragraph and the preceding paragraph shall be reduced by the amount allocated and disbursed under this paragraph in the preceding calendar year. The Department of Revenue shall prepare and certify to the Comptroller for disbursement the allocations made in accordance with this paragraph.

(o) Failure to adopt a budget ordinance or otherwise to comply with Section 4.01 of this Act or to adopt a Five-year Capital Program or otherwise to comply with paragraph (b) of Section 2.01 of this Act shall not affect the validity of any tax imposed by the Authority otherwise in conformity with law.

(p) At no time shall a public transportation tax or motor vehicle parking tax authorized under paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this Section be in effect at the same time as any retailers' occupation, use or service occupation tax authorized under paragraphs (e), (f), and (g) of this Section is in effect.

Any taxes imposed under the authority provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) shall remain in effect only until the time as any tax authorized by paragraph (e), (f), or (g) of this Section is are imposed and becomes effective. Once any tax authorized by paragraph (e), (f), or (g) is imposed the Board may not reimpose taxes as authorized in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of the Section unless any tax authorized by paragraph (e), (f), or (g) of this Section becomes ineffective by means other than an ordinance of the Board.

(q) Any existing rights, remedies and obligations (including enforcement by the Regional Transportation Authority) arising under any tax imposed under paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of this Section shall not be affected by the imposition of a tax under paragraph (e), (f), or (g) of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 102-700, eff. 4-19-22; 103-592, eff. 1-1-25; 103-781, eff. 8-5-24; revised 11-26-24.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.03.3)

Sec. 4.03.3. Distribution of Revenues. This Section applies only after the Department begins administering and enforcing an increased tax under Section 4.03(m) as authorized by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly. After providing for payment of its obligations with respect to bonds and notes issued under the provisions of Section 4.04 and obligations related to those bonds and notes and separately accounting for the tax on aviation fuel deposited into the Local Government Aviation Trust Fund, the Authority shall disburse the remaining proceeds from taxes it has received from the Department of Revenue under this Article IV and the remaining proceeds it has received from the State under Section 4.09(a) as follows:

(a) With respect to taxes imposed by the Authority under Section 4.03, after withholding 15% of 80% of the receipts from those taxes collected in Cook County at a rate of 1.25%, 15% of 75% of the receipts from those taxes collected in Cook County at the rate of 1%, 15% of one-half of the receipts from those taxes collected in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties, and 15% of money received by the Authority from the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund or from the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund created in Section 4.03(n), the Board shall allocate the proceeds and money remaining to the Service Boards as follows:

(1) an amount equal to (i) 85% of 80% of the receipts from those taxes collected within the City of Chicago at a rate of 1.25%, (ii) 85% of 75% of the receipts from those taxes collected in the City of Chicago at the rate of 1%, and (iii) 85% of the money received by the Authority on account of transfers to the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund or to the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund created in Section 4.03(n) from the County and Mass Transit District Fund attributable to retail sales within the City of Chicago shall be allocated to the Chicago Transit Authority;

(2) an amount equal to (i) 85% of 80% of the receipts from those taxes collected within Cook County outside of the City of Chicago at a rate of 1.25%, (ii) 85% of 75% of the receipts from those taxes collected within Cook County outside the City of Chicago at a rate of 1%, and (iii) 85% of the money received by the Authority on account of transfers to the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund or to the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund created in Section 4.03(n) from the County and Mass Transit District Fund attributable to retail sales within Cook County outside of the City of Chicago shall be allocated 30% to the Chicago Transit Authority, 55% to the Commuter Rail Board, and 15% to the Suburban Bus Board; and

(3) an amount equal to 85% of one-half of the receipts from the taxes collected within the Counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will shall be allocated 70% to the Commuter Rail Board and 30% to the Suburban Bus Board.

(b) Moneys received by the Authority on account of transfers to the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund from the State and Local Sales Tax Reform Fund shall be allocated among the Authority and the Service Boards as follows: 15% of such moneys shall be retained by the Authority and the remaining 85% shall be transferred to the Service Boards as soon as may be practicable after the Authority receives payment. Moneys which are distributable to the Service Boards pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be allocated among the Service Boards on the basis of each Service Board's distribution ratio. The term "distribution ratio" means, for purposes of this subsection (b), the ratio of the total amount distributed to a Service Board pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 4.03.3 for the immediately preceding calendar year to the total amount distributed to all of the Service Boards pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 4.03.3 for the immediately preceding calendar year.

(c)(i) 20% of the receipts from those taxes collected in Cook County under Section 4.03 at the rate of 1.25%, (ii) 25% of the receipts from those taxes collected in Cook County under Section 4.03 at the rate of 1%, (iii) 50% of the receipts from those taxes collected in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties under Section 4.03, and (iv) amounts received from the State under Section 4.09 (a)(2) and items (i), (ii), and (iii) of Section 4.09 (a)(3) shall be allocated as follows: the amount required to be deposited into the ADA Paratransit Fund described in Section 2.01d, the amount required to be deposited into the Suburban Community Mobility Fund described in Section 2.01e, and the amount required to be deposited into the Innovation, Coordination and Enhancement Fund described in Section 2.01c, and the balance shall be allocated 48% to the Chicago Transit Authority, 39% to the Commuter Rail Board, and 13% to the Suburban Bus Board.

(d) Amounts received from the State under Section 4.09 (a)(3)(iv) shall be distributed 100% to the Chicago Transit Authority.

(e) With respect to those taxes collected in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties and paid directly to the counties under Section 4.03, the County Board of each county shall use those amounts to fund operating and capital costs of public safety and public transportation services or facilities or to fund operating, capital, right-of-way, construction, and maintenance costs of other transportation purposes, including road, bridge, public safety, and transit purposes intended to improve mobility or reduce congestion in the county. The receipt of funding by such counties pursuant to this paragraph shall not be used as the basis for reducing any funds that such counties would otherwise have received from the State of Illinois, any agency or instrumentality thereof, the Authority, or the Service Boards.

(f) The Authority by ordinance adopted by 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026 shall apportion to the Service Boards funds provided by the State of Illinois under Section 4.09(a)(1) as it shall determine and shall make payment of the amounts to each Service Board as soon as may be practicable upon their receipt provided the Authority has adopted a balanced budget as required by Section 4.01 and further provided the Service Board is in compliance with the requirements in Section 4.11.

(g) Beginning January 1, 2009, before making any payments, transfers, or expenditures under this Section to a Service Board, the Authority must first comply with Section 4.02a or 4.02b of this Act, whichever may be applicable.

(h) Moneys may be appropriated from the Public Transportation Fund to the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the costs incurred by the Executive Inspector General while serving as the inspector general for the Authority and each of the Service Boards. Beginning December 31, 2012, and each year thereafter, the Office of the Executive Inspector General shall annually report to the General Assembly the expenses incurred while serving as the inspector general for the Authority and each of the Service Boards.

(Source: P.A. 101-604, eff. 12-13-19.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.04) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 704.04)

Sec. 4.04. Issuance and Pledge of Bonds and Notes.

(a) The Authority shall have the continuing power to borrow money and to issue its negotiable bonds or notes as provided in this Section. Unless otherwise indicated in this Section, the term "notes" also includes bond anticipation notes, which are notes which by their terms provide for their payment from the proceeds of bonds thereafter to be issued. Bonds or notes of the Authority may be issued for any or all of the following purposes: to pay costs to the Authority or a Service Board of constructing or acquiring any public transportation facilities (including funds and rights relating thereto, as provided in Section 2.05 of this Act); to repay advances to the Authority or a Service Board made for such purposes; to pay other expenses of the Authority or a Service Board incident to or incurred in connection with such construction or acquisition; to provide funds for any transportation agency to pay principal of or interest or redemption premium on any bonds or notes, whether as such amounts become due or by earlier redemption, issued prior to the date of this amendatory Act by such transportation agency to construct or acquire public transportation facilities or to provide funds to purchase such bonds or notes; and to provide funds for any transportation agency to construct or acquire any public transportation facilities, to repay advances made for such purposes, and to pay other expenses incident to or incurred in connection with such construction or acquisition; and to provide funds for payment of obligations, including the funding of reserves, under any self-insurance plan or joint self-insurance pool or entity.

In addition to any other borrowing as may be authorized by this Section, the Authority may issue its notes, from time to time, in anticipation of tax receipts of the Authority or of other revenues or receipts of the Authority, in order to provide money for the Authority or the Service Boards to cover any cash flow deficit which the Authority or a Service Board anticipates incurring. Any such notes are referred to in this Section as "Working Cash Notes". No Working Cash Notes shall be issued for a term of longer than 24 months. Proceeds of Working Cash Notes may be used to pay day to day operating expenses of the Authority or the Service Boards, consisting of wages, salaries, and fringe benefits, professional and technical services (including legal, audit, engineering, and other consulting services), office rental, furniture, fixtures and equipment, insurance premiums, claims for self-insured amounts under insurance policies, public utility obligations for telephone, light, heat and similar items, travel expenses, office supplies, postage, dues, subscriptions, public hearings and information expenses, fuel purchases, and payments of grants and payments under purchase of service agreements for operations of transportation agencies, prior to the receipt by the Authority or a Service Board from time to time of funds for paying such expenses. In addition to any Working Cash Notes that the Board of the Authority may determine to issue, the Suburban Bus Board, the Commuter Rail Board or the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority may demand and direct that the Authority issue its Working Cash Notes in such amounts and having such maturities as the Service Board may determine.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, any amounts necessary to pay principal of and interest on any Working Cash Notes issued at the demand and direction of a Service Board or any Working Cash Notes the proceeds of which were used for the direct benefit of a Service Board or any other Bonds or Notes of the Authority the proceeds of which were used for the direct benefit of a Service Board shall constitute a reduction of the amount of any other funds provided by the Authority to that Service Board. The Authority shall, after deducting any costs of issuance, tender the net proceeds of any Working Cash Notes issued at the demand and direction of a Service Board to such Service Board as soon as may be practicable after the proceeds are received. The Authority may also issue notes or bonds to pay, refund or redeem any of its notes and bonds, including to pay redemption premiums or accrued interest on such bonds or notes being renewed, paid or refunded, and other costs in connection therewith. The Authority may also utilize the proceeds of any such bonds or notes to pay the legal, financial, administrative and other expenses of such authorization, issuance, sale or delivery of bonds or notes or to provide or increase a debt service reserve fund with respect to any or all of its bonds or notes. The Authority may also issue and deliver its bonds or notes in exchange for any public transportation facilities, (including funds and rights relating thereto, as provided in Section 2.05 of this Act) or in exchange for outstanding bonds or notes of the Authority, including any accrued interest or redemption premium thereon, without advertising or submitting such notes or bonds for public bidding.

(b) The ordinance providing for the issuance of any such bonds or notes shall fix the date or dates of maturity, the dates on which interest is payable, any sinking fund account or reserve fund account provisions and all other details of such bonds or notes and may provide for such covenants or agreements necessary or desirable with regard to the issue, sale and security of such bonds or notes. The rate or rates of interest on its bonds or notes may be fixed or variable and the Authority shall determine or provide for the determination of the rate or rates of interest of its bonds or notes issued under this Act in an ordinance adopted by the Authority prior to the issuance thereof, none of which rates of interest shall exceed that permitted in the Bond Authorization Act. Interest may be payable at such times as are provided for by the Board. Bonds and notes issued under this Section may be issued as serial or term obligations, shall be of such denomination or denominations and form, including interest coupons to be attached thereto, be executed in such manner, shall be payable at such place or places and bear such date as the Authority shall fix by the ordinance authorizing such bond or note and shall mature at such time or times, within a period not to exceed forty years from the date of issue, and may be redeemable prior to maturity with or without premium, at the option of the Authority, upon such terms and conditions as the Authority shall fix by the ordinance authorizing the issuance of such bonds or notes. No bond anticipation note or any renewal thereof shall mature at any time or times exceeding 5 years from the date of the first issuance of such note. The Authority may provide for the registration of bonds or notes in the name of the owner as to the principal alone or as to both principal and interest, upon such terms and conditions as the Authority may determine. The ordinance authorizing bonds or notes may provide for the exchange of such bonds or notes which are fully registered, as to both principal and interest, with bonds or notes which are registerable as to principal only. All bonds or notes issued under this Section by the Authority other than those issued in exchange for property or for bonds or notes of the Authority shall be sold at a price which may be at a premium or discount but such that the interest cost (excluding any redemption premium) to the Authority of the proceeds of an issue of such bonds or notes, computed to stated maturity according to standard tables of bond values, shall not exceed that permitted in the Bond Authorization Act. The Authority shall notify the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the State Comptroller at least 30 days before any bond sale and shall file with the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the State Comptroller a certified copy of any ordinance authorizing the issuance of bonds at or before the issuance of the bonds. After December 31, 1994, any such bonds or notes shall be sold to the highest and best bidder on sealed bids as the Authority shall deem. As such bonds or notes are to be sold the Authority shall advertise for proposals to purchase the bonds or notes which advertisement shall be published at least once in a daily newspaper of general circulation published in the metropolitan region at least 10 days before the time set for the submission of bids. The Authority shall have the right to reject any or all bids. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, Working Cash Notes or bonds or notes to provide funds for self-insurance or a joint self-insurance pool or entity may be sold either upon competitive bidding or by negotiated sale (without any requirement of publication of intention to negotiate the sale of such Notes), as the Board shall determine by ordinance adopted with the affirmative votes of at least 9 Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. In case any officer whose signature appears on any bonds, notes or coupons authorized pursuant to this Section shall cease to be such officer before delivery of such bonds or notes, such signature shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same as if such officer had remained in office until such delivery. Neither the Directors of the Authority nor any person executing any bonds or notes thereof shall be liable personally on any such bonds or notes or coupons by reason of the issuance thereof.

(c) All bonds or notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section shall be general obligations of the Authority to which shall be pledged the full faith and credit of the Authority, as provided in this Section. Such bonds or notes shall be secured as provided in the authorizing ordinance, which may, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, include in addition to any other security, a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in any or all tax receipts of the Authority and on any or all other revenues or moneys of the Authority from whatever source, which may by law be utilized for debt service purposes and a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in any funds or accounts established or provided for by the ordinance of the Authority authorizing the issuance of such bonds or notes. Any such pledge, assignment, lien, or security interest for the benefit of holders of bonds or notes of the Authority shall be valid and binding from the time the bonds or notes are issued without any physical delivery or further act and shall be valid and binding as against and prior to the claims of all other parties having claims of any kind against the Authority or any other person irrespective of whether such other parties have notice of such pledge, assignment, lien, or security interest. The obligations of the Authority incurred pursuant to this Section shall be superior to and have priority over any other obligations of the Authority.

The Authority may provide in the ordinance authorizing the issuance of any bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section for the creation of, deposits in, and regulation and disposition of sinking fund or reserve accounts relating to such bonds or notes. The ordinance authorizing the issuance of any bonds or notes pursuant to this Section may contain provisions as part of the contract with the holders of the bonds or notes, for the creation of a separate fund to provide for the payment of principal and interest on such bonds or notes and for the deposit in such fund from any or all the tax receipts of the Authority and from any or all such other moneys or revenues of the Authority from whatever source which may by law be utilized for debt service purposes, all as provided in such ordinance, of amounts to meet the debt service requirements on such bonds or notes, including principal and interest, and any sinking fund or reserve fund account requirements as may be provided by such ordinance, and all expenses incident to or in connection with such fund and accounts or the payment of such bonds or notes. Such ordinance may also provide limitations on the issuance of additional bonds or notes of the Authority. No such bonds or notes of the Authority shall constitute a debt of the State of Illinois. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to enable the Authority to impose any ad valorem tax on property.

(d) The ordinance of the Authority authorizing the issuance of any bonds or notes may provide additional security for such bonds or notes by providing for appointment of a corporate trustee (which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within the state) with respect to such bonds or notes. The ordinance shall prescribe the rights, duties, and powers of the trustee to be exercised for the benefit of the Authority and the protection of the holders of such bonds or notes. The ordinance may provide for the trustee to hold in trust, invest, and use amounts in funds and accounts created as provided by the ordinance with respect to the bonds or notes. The ordinance may provide for the assignment and direct payment to the trustee of any or all amounts produced from the sources provided in Section 4.03 and Section 4.09 of this Act and provided in Section 6z-17 of the State Finance Act. Upon receipt of notice of any such assignment, the Department of Revenue and the Comptroller of the State of Illinois shall thereafter, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4.03 and Section 4.09 of this Act and Section 6z-17 of the State Finance Act, provide for such assigned amounts to be paid directly to the trustee instead of the Authority, all in accordance with the terms of the ordinance making the assignment. The ordinance shall provide that amounts so paid to the trustee which are not required to be deposited, held or invested in funds and accounts created by the ordinance with respect to bonds or notes or used for paying bonds or notes to be paid by the trustee to the Authority.

(e) Any bonds or notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section shall constitute a contract between the Authority and the holders from time to time of such bonds or notes. In issuing any bond or note, the Authority may include in the ordinance authorizing such issue a covenant as part of the contract with the holders of the bonds or notes, that as long as such obligations are outstanding, it shall make such deposits, as provided in paragraph (c) of this Section. It may also so covenant that it shall impose and continue to impose taxes, as provided in Section 4.03 of this Act and in addition thereto as subsequently authorized by law, sufficient to make such deposits and pay the principal and interest and to meet other debt service requirements of such bonds or notes as they become due. A certified copy of the ordinance authorizing the issuance of any such obligations shall be filed at or prior to the issuance of such obligations with the Comptroller of the State of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Revenue.

(f) The State of Illinois pledges to and agrees with the holders of the bonds and notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section that the State will not limit or alter the rights and powers vested in the Authority by this Act so as to impair the terms of any contract made by the Authority with such holders or in any way impair the rights and remedies of such holders until such bonds and notes, together with interest thereon, with interest on any unpaid installments of interest, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceedings by or on behalf of such holders, are fully met and discharged. In addition, the State pledges to and agrees with the holders of the bonds and notes of the Authority issued pursuant to this Section that the State will not limit or alter the basis on which State funds are to be paid to the Authority as provided in this Act, or the use of such funds, so as to impair the terms of any such contract. The Authority is authorized to include these pledges and agreements of the State in any contract with the holders of bonds or notes issued pursuant to this Section.

(g)(1) Except as provided in subdivisions (g)(2) and (g)(3) of Section 4.04 of this Act, the Authority shall not at any time issue, sell or deliver any bonds or notes (other than Working Cash Notes and lines of credit) pursuant to this Section 4.04 which will cause it to have issued and outstanding at any time in excess of $800,000,000 of such bonds and notes (other than Working Cash Notes and lines of credit). The Authority shall not issue, sell, or deliver any Working Cash Notes or establish a line of credit pursuant to this Section that will cause it to have issued and outstanding at any time in excess of $100,000,000. However, the Authority may issue, sell, and deliver additional Working Cash Notes or establish a line of credit before July 1, 2022 that are over and above and in addition to the $100,000,000 authorization such that the outstanding amount of these additional Working Cash Notes and lines of credit does not exceed at any time $300,000,000. Bonds or notes which are being paid or retired by such issuance, sale or delivery of bonds or notes, and bonds or notes for which sufficient funds have been deposited with the paying agency of such bonds or notes to provide for payment of principal and interest thereon or to provide for the redemption thereof, all pursuant to the ordinance authorizing the issuance of such bonds or notes, shall not be considered to be outstanding for the purposes of this subsection.

(2) In addition to the authority provided by paragraphs (1) and (3), the Authority is authorized to issue, sell, and deliver bonds or notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects approved pursuant to Section 4.13 as follows:

$100,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 1990;

an additional $100,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 1991;

an additional $100,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 1992;

an additional $100,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 1993;

an additional $100,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 1994; and

the aggregate total authorization of bonds and notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects as of January 1, 1994, shall be $500,000,000.

The Authority is also authorized to issue, sell, and deliver bonds or notes in such amounts as are necessary to provide for the refunding or advance refunding of bonds or notes issued for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects under this subdivision (g)(2), provided that no such refunding bond or note shall mature later than the final maturity date of the series of bonds or notes being refunded, and provided further that the debt service requirements for such refunding bonds or notes in the current or any future fiscal year shall not exceed the debt service requirements for that year on the refunded bonds or notes.

(3) In addition to the authority provided by paragraphs (1) and (2), the Authority is authorized to issue, sell, and deliver bonds or notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects approved pursuant to Section 4.13 as follows:

$260,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 2000;

an additional $260,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 2001;

an additional $260,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 2002;

an additional $260,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 2003;

an additional $260,000,000 is authorized to be issued on or after January 1, 2004; and

the aggregate total authorization of bonds and notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects pursuant to this paragraph (3) as of January 1, 2004 shall be $1,300,000,000.

The Authority is also authorized to issue, sell, and deliver bonds or notes in such amounts as are necessary to provide for the refunding or advance refunding of bonds or notes issued for Strategic Capital Improvement projects under this subdivision (g)(3), provided that no such refunding bond or note shall mature later than the final maturity date of the series of bonds or notes being refunded, and provided further that the debt service requirements for such refunding bonds or notes in the current or any future fiscal year shall not exceed the debt service requirements for that year on the refunded bonds or notes.

(h) The Authority, subject to the terms of any agreements with noteholders or bond holders as may then exist, shall have power, out of any funds available therefor, to purchase notes or bonds of the Authority, which shall thereupon be cancelled.

(i) In addition to any other authority granted by law, the State Treasurer may, with the approval of the Governor, invest or reinvest, at a price not to exceed par, any State money in the State Treasury which is not needed for current expenditures due or about to become due in Working Cash Notes. In the event of a default on a Working Cash Note issued by the Regional Transportation Authority in which State money in the State treasury was invested, the Treasurer may, after giving notice to the Authority, certify to the Comptroller the amounts of the defaulted Working Cash Note, in accordance with any applicable rules of the Comptroller, and the Comptroller must deduct and remit to the State treasury the certified amounts or a portion of those amounts from the following proportions of payments of State funds to the Authority:

(1) in the first year after default, one-third of the total amount of any payments of State funds to the Authority;

(2) in the second year after default, two-thirds of the total amount of any payments of State funds to the Authority; and

(3) in the third year after default and for each year thereafter until the total invested amount is repaid, the total amount of any payments of State funds to the Authority.

(j) The Authority may establish a line of credit with a bank or other financial institution as may be evidenced by the issuance of notes or other obligations, secured by and payable from all tax receipts of the Authority and any or all other revenues or moneys of the Authority, in an amount not to exceed the limitations set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (g). Money borrowed under this subsection (j) shall be used to provide money for the Authority or the Service Boards to cover any cash flow deficit that the Authority or a Service Board anticipates incurring and shall be repaid within 24 months.

Before establishing a line of credit under this subsection (j), the Authority shall authorize the line of credit by ordinance. The ordinance shall set forth facts demonstrating the need for the line of credit, state the amount to be borrowed, establish a maximum interest rate limit not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, and provide a date by which the borrowed funds shall be repaid. The ordinance shall authorize and direct the relevant officials to make arrangements to set apart and hold, as applicable, the moneys that will be used to repay the borrowing. In addition, the ordinance may authorize the relevant officials to make partial repayments on the line of credit as the moneys become available and may contain any other terms, restrictions, or limitations desirable or necessary to give effect to this subsection (j).

The Authority shall notify the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the State Comptroller at least 30 days before establishing a line of credit and shall file with the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the State Comptroller a certified copy of any ordinance authorizing the establishment of a line of credit upon or before establishing the line of credit.

Moneys borrowed under a line of credit pursuant to this subsection (j) are general obligations of the Authority that are secured by the full faith and credit of the Authority.

(Source: P.A. 101-485, eff. 8-23-19; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.09) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 704.09)

Sec. 4.09. Public Transportation Fund and the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund.

(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4), as soon as possible after the first day of each month, beginning July 1, 1984, upon certification of the Department of Revenue, the Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer from the General Revenue Fund to a special fund in the State Treasury to be known as the Public Transportation Fund an amount equal to 25% of the net revenue, before the deduction of the serviceman and retailer discounts pursuant to Section 9 of the Service Occupation Tax Act and Section 3 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, realized from any tax imposed by the Authority pursuant to Sections 4.03 and 4.03.1 and 25% of the amounts deposited into the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund created by Section 4.03 of this Act, from the County and Mass Transit District Fund as provided in Section 6z-20 of the State Finance Act and 25% of the amounts deposited into the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund from the State and Local Sales Tax Reform Fund as provided in Section 6z-17 of the State Finance Act. On the first day of the month following the date that the Department receives revenues from increased taxes under Section 4.03(m) as authorized by Public Act 95-708, in lieu of the transfers authorized in the preceding sentence, upon certification of the Department of Revenue, the Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer from the General Revenue Fund to the Public Transportation Fund an amount equal to 25% of the net revenue, before the deduction of the serviceman and retailer discounts pursuant to Section 9 of the Service Occupation Tax Act and Section 3 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, realized from (i) 80% of the proceeds of any tax imposed by the Authority at a rate of 1.25% in Cook County, (ii) 75% of the proceeds of any tax imposed by the Authority at the rate of 1% in Cook County, and (iii) one-third of the proceeds of any tax imposed by the Authority at the rate of 0.75% in the Counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will, all pursuant to Section 4.03, and 25% of the net revenue realized from any tax imposed by the Authority pursuant to Section 4.03.1, and 25% of the amounts deposited into the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund created by Section 4.03 of this Act from the County and Mass Transit District Fund as provided in Section 6z-20 of the State Finance Act, and 25% of the amounts deposited into the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund from the State and Local Sales Tax Reform Fund as provided in Section 6z-17 of the State Finance Act. As used in this Section, net revenue realized for a month shall be the revenue collected by the State pursuant to Sections 4.03 and 4.03.1 during the previous month from within the metropolitan region, less the amount paid out during that same month as refunds to taxpayers for overpayment of liability in the metropolitan region under Sections 4.03 and 4.03.1.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, beginning on July 6, 2017 (the effective date of Public Act 100-23), those amounts required under this paragraph (1) of subsection (a) to be transferred by the Treasurer into the Public Transportation Fund from the General Revenue Fund shall be directly deposited into the Public Transportation Fund as the revenues are realized from the taxes indicated.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4), on February 1, 2009 (the first day of the month following the effective date of Public Act 95-708) and each month thereafter, upon certification by the Department of Revenue, the Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer from the General Revenue Fund to the Public Transportation Fund an amount equal to 5% of the net revenue, before the deduction of the serviceman and retailer discounts pursuant to Section 9 of the Service Occupation Tax Act and Section 3 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, realized from any tax imposed by the Authority pursuant to Sections 4.03 and 4.03.1 and certified by the Department of Revenue under Section 4.03(n) of this Act to be paid to the Authority and 5% of the amounts deposited into the Regional Transportation Authority tax fund created by Section 4.03 of this Act from the County and Mass Transit District Fund as provided in Section 6z-20 of the State Finance Act, and 5% of the amounts deposited into the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund from the State and Local Sales Tax Reform Fund as provided in Section 6z-17 of the State Finance Act, and 5% of the revenue realized by the Chicago Transit Authority as financial assistance from the City of Chicago from the proceeds of any tax imposed by the City of Chicago under Section 8-3-19 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, beginning on July 6, 2017 (the effective date of Public Act 100-23), those amounts required under this paragraph (2) of subsection (a) to be transferred by the Treasurer into the Public Transportation Fund from the General Revenue Fund shall be directly deposited into the Public Transportation Fund as the revenues are realized from the taxes indicated.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4), as soon as possible after the first day of January, 2009 and each month thereafter, upon certification of the Department of Revenue with respect to the taxes collected under Section 4.03, the Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer from the General Revenue Fund to the Public Transportation Fund an amount equal to 25% of the net revenue, before the deduction of the serviceman and retailer discounts pursuant to Section 9 of the Service Occupation Tax Act and Section 3 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, realized from (i) 20% of the proceeds of any tax imposed by the Authority at a rate of 1.25% in Cook County, (ii) 25% of the proceeds of any tax imposed by the Authority at the rate of 1% in Cook County, and (iii) one-third of the proceeds of any tax imposed by the Authority at the rate of 0.75% in the Counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will, all pursuant to Section 4.03, and the Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer from the General Revenue Fund to the Public Transportation Fund (iv) an amount equal to 25% of the revenue realized by the Chicago Transit Authority as financial assistance from the City of Chicago from the proceeds of any tax imposed by the City of Chicago under Section 8-3-19 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, beginning on July 6, 2017 (the effective date of Public Act 100-23), those amounts required under this paragraph (3) of subsection (a) to be transferred by the Treasurer into the Public Transportation Fund from the General Revenue Fund shall be directly deposited into the Public Transportation Fund as the revenues are realized from the taxes indicated.

(4) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, for the State fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 and each State fiscal year thereafter, the first $150,000,000 that would have otherwise been transferred from the General Revenue Fund and deposited into the Public Transportation Fund as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (a) shall instead be transferred from the Road Fund by the Treasurer upon certification by the Department of Revenue and order of the Comptroller. For the State fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, only, the next $75,000,000 that would have otherwise been transferred from the General Revenue Fund and deposited into the Public Transportation Fund as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (a) shall instead be transferred from the Road Fund and deposited into the Public Transportation Fund by the Treasurer upon certification by the Department of Revenue and order of the Comptroller. The funds authorized and transferred pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly are not intended or planned for road construction projects. For the State fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, only, the next $50,000,000 that would have otherwise been transferred from the General Revenue Fund and deposited into the Public Transportation Fund as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (a) shall instead be transferred from the Underground Storage Tank Fund and deposited into the Public Transportation Fund by the Treasurer upon certification by the Department of Revenue and order of the Comptroller. The remaining balance shall be deposited each State fiscal year as otherwise provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (a).

(5) (Blank).

(6) (Blank).

(7) For State fiscal year 2020 only, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the total amount of revenue and deposits under this Section attributable to revenues realized during State fiscal year 2020 shall be reduced by 5%.

(8) For State fiscal year 2021 only, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the total amount of revenue and deposits under this Section attributable to revenues realized during State fiscal year 2021 shall be reduced by 5%.

(b)(1) All moneys deposited in the Public Transportation Fund and the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund, whether deposited pursuant to this Section or otherwise, are allocated to the Authority, except for amounts appropriated to the Office of the Executive Inspector General as authorized by subsection (h) of Section 4.03.3 and amounts transferred to the Audit Expense Fund pursuant to Section 6z-27 of the State Finance Act. The Comptroller, as soon as possible after each monthly transfer provided in this Section and after each deposit into the Public Transportation Fund, shall order the Treasurer to pay to the Authority out of the Public Transportation Fund the amount so transferred or deposited. Any Additional State Assistance and Additional Financial Assistance paid to the Authority under this Section shall be expended by the Authority for its purposes as provided in this Act. The balance of the amounts paid to the Authority from the Public Transportation Fund shall be expended by the Authority as provided in Section 4.03.3. The Comptroller, as soon as possible after each deposit into the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund provided in this Section and Section 6z-17 of the State Finance Act, shall order the Treasurer to pay to the Authority out of the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund the amount so deposited. Such amounts paid to the Authority may be expended by it for its purposes as provided in this Act. The provisions directing the distributions from the Public Transportation Fund and the Regional Transportation Authority Occupation and Use Tax Replacement Fund provided for in this Section shall constitute an irrevocable and continuing appropriation of all amounts as provided herein. The State Treasurer and State Comptroller are hereby authorized and directed to make distributions as provided in this Section. (2) Provided, however, no moneys deposited under subsection (a) of this Section shall be paid from the Public Transportation Fund to the Authority or its assignee for any fiscal year until the Authority has certified to the Governor, the Comptroller, and the Mayor of the City of Chicago that it has adopted for that fiscal year an Annual Budget and Two-Year Financial Plan meeting the requirements in Section 4.01(b).

(c) In recognition of the efforts of the Authority to enhance the mass transportation facilities under its control, the State shall provide financial assistance ("Additional State Assistance") in excess of the amounts transferred to the Authority from the General Revenue Fund under subsection (a) of this Section. Additional State Assistance shall be calculated as provided in subsection (d), but shall in no event exceed the following specified amounts with respect to the following State fiscal years:

(c-5) The State shall provide financial assistance ("Additional Financial Assistance") in addition to the Additional State Assistance provided by subsection (c) and the amounts transferred to the Authority from the General Revenue Fund under subsection (a) of this Section. Additional Financial Assistance provided by this subsection shall be calculated as provided in subsection (d), but shall in no event exceed the following specified amounts with respect to the following State fiscal years:

(d) Beginning with State fiscal year 1990 and continuing for each State fiscal year thereafter, the Authority shall annually certify to the State Comptroller and State Treasurer, separately with respect to each of subdivisions (g)(2) and (g)(3) of Section 4.04 of this Act, the following amounts:

(1) The amount necessary and required, during the State fiscal year with respect to which the certification is made, to pay its obligations for debt service on all outstanding bonds or notes issued by the Authority under subdivisions (g)(2) and (g)(3) of Section 4.04 of this Act.

(2) An estimate of the amount necessary and required to pay its obligations for debt service for any bonds or notes which the Authority anticipates it will issue under subdivisions (g)(2) and (g)(3) of Section 4.04 during that State fiscal year.

(3) Its debt service savings during the preceding State fiscal year from refunding or advance refunding of bonds or notes issued under subdivisions (g)(2) and (g)(3) of Section 4.04.

(4) The amount of interest, if any, earned by the Authority during the previous State fiscal year on the proceeds of bonds or notes issued pursuant to subdivisions (g)(2) and (g)(3) of Section 4.04, other than refunding or advance refunding bonds or notes.

The certification shall include a specific schedule of debt service payments, including the date and amount of each payment for all outstanding bonds or notes and an estimated schedule of anticipated debt service for all bonds and notes it intends to issue, if any, during that State fiscal year, including the estimated date and estimated amount of each payment.

Immediately upon the issuance of bonds for which an estimated schedule of debt service payments was prepared, the Authority shall file an amended certification with respect to item (2) above, to specify the actual schedule of debt service payments, including the date and amount of each payment, for the remainder of the State fiscal year.

On the first day of each month of the State fiscal year in which there are bonds outstanding with respect to which the certification is made, the State Comptroller shall order transferred and the State Treasurer shall transfer from the Road Fund to the Public Transportation Fund the Additional State Assistance and Additional Financial Assistance in an amount equal to the aggregate of (i) one-twelfth of the sum of the amounts certified under items (1) and (3) above less the amount certified under item (4) above, plus (ii) the amount required to pay debt service on bonds and notes issued during the fiscal year, if any, divided by the number of months remaining in the fiscal year after the date of issuance, or some smaller portion as may be necessary under subsection (c) or (c-5) of this Section for the relevant State fiscal year, plus (iii) any cumulative deficiencies in transfers for prior months, until an amount equal to the sum of the amounts certified under items (1) and (3) above, plus the actual debt service certified under item (2) above, less the amount certified under item (4) above, has been transferred; except that these transfers are subject to the following limits:

(A) In no event shall the total transfers in any State fiscal year relating to outstanding bonds and notes issued by the Authority under subdivision (g)(2) of Section 4.04 exceed the lesser of the annual maximum amount specified in subsection (c) or the sum of the amounts certified under items (1) and (3) above, plus the actual debt service certified under item (2) above, less the amount certified under item (4) above, with respect to those bonds and notes.

(B) In no event shall the total transfers in any State fiscal year relating to outstanding bonds and notes issued by the Authority under subdivision (g)(3) of Section 4.04 exceed the lesser of the annual maximum amount specified in subsection (c-5) or the sum of the amounts certified under items (1) and (3) above, plus the actual debt service certified under item (2) above, less the amount certified under item (4) above, with respect to those bonds and notes.

The term "outstanding" does not include bonds or notes for which refunding or advance refunding bonds or notes have been issued.

(e) Neither Additional State Assistance nor Additional Financial Assistance may be pledged, either directly or indirectly as general revenues of the Authority, as security for any bonds issued by the Authority. The Authority may not assign its right to receive Additional State Assistance or Additional Financial Assistance, or direct payment of Additional State Assistance or Additional Financial Assistance, to a trustee or any other entity for the payment of debt service on its bonds.

(f) The certification required under subsection (d) with respect to outstanding bonds and notes of the Authority shall be filed as early as practicable before the beginning of the State fiscal year to which it relates. The certification shall be revised as may be necessary to accurately state the debt service requirements of the Authority.

(g) Within 6 months of the end of each fiscal year, the Authority shall determine:

(i) whether the aggregate of all system generated revenues for public transportation in the metropolitan region which is provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts with, the Service Boards equals 50% of the aggregate of all costs of providing such public transportation. For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the Authority shall determine if all system generated revenues for public transportation in the metropolitan region which is provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts with, the Service Boards equals 25% of the aggregate of all costs of providing such public transportation. For fiscal years 2028 and 2029 and every year thereafter, the Authority shall determine if all system generated revenues for public transportation in the metropolitan region that is provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts with, the Service Boards equals 15% of the aggregate of all costs of providing such public transportation. Prior to the beginning of fiscal year 2030, the General Assembly shall reevaluate and determine the appropriate system generated revenues recovery ratio for future years. "System generated revenues" include all the proceeds of fares and charges for services provided, contributions received in connection with public transportation from units of local government other than the Authority, except for contributions received by the Chicago Transit Authority from a real estate transfer tax imposed under subsection (i) of Section 8-3-19 of the Illinois Municipal Code, and from the State pursuant to subsection (i) of Section 2705-305 of the Department of Transportation Law, and all other revenues properly included consistent with generally accepted accounting principles but may not include: the proceeds from any borrowing, and, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, all revenues and receipts, including but not limited to fares and grants received from the federal, State or any unit of local government or other entity, derived from providing ADA paratransit service pursuant to Section 2.30 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act. "Costs" include all items properly included as operating costs consistent with generally accepted accounting principles, including administrative costs, but do not include: depreciation; payment of principal and interest on bonds, notes or other evidences of obligations for borrowed money of the Authority; payments with respect to public transportation facilities made pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 2.20; any payments with respect to rate protection contracts, credit enhancements or liquidity agreements made under Section 4.14; any other cost as to which it is reasonably expected that a cash expenditure will not be made; costs for passenger security including grants, contracts, personnel, equipment and administrative expenses, except in the case of the Chicago Transit Authority, in which case the term does not include costs spent annually by that entity for protection against crime as required by Section 27a of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act; the costs of Debt Service paid by the Chicago Transit Authority, as defined in Section 12c of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, or bonds or notes issued pursuant to that Section; the payment by the Commuter Rail Division of debt service on bonds issued pursuant to Section 3B.09; expenses incurred by the Suburban Bus Division for the cost of new public transportation services funded from grants pursuant to Section 2.01e of this Act for a period of 2 years from the date of initiation of each such service; costs as exempted by the Board for projects pursuant to Section 2.09 of this Act; or, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, expenses related to providing ADA paratransit service pursuant to Section 2.30 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act; or in fiscal years 2008 through 2012 inclusive, costs in the amount of $200,000,000 in fiscal year 2008, reducing by $40,000,000 in each fiscal year thereafter until this exemption is eliminated; and expenses incurred by any and all Service Boards for the cost of new public transportation services for a period of 2 years from the date of initiation of each such service. If said system generated revenues are less than 50% of said costs, the Board shall remit an amount equal to the amount of the deficit to the State; however, due to the fiscal impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, for fiscal years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, no such payment shall be required. The Treasurer shall deposit any such payment in the Road Fund; and

(ii) whether, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, the aggregate of all fares charged and received for ADA paratransit services equals the system generated ADA paratransit services revenue recovery ratio percentage of the aggregate of all costs of providing such ADA paratransit services, as required under subsection (b) of Section.

(h) If the Authority makes any payment to the State under paragraph (g), the Authority shall reduce the amount provided to a Service Board from funds transferred under paragraph (a) in proportion to the amount by which that Service Board failed to meet its required system generated revenues recovery ratio. A Service Board which is affected by a reduction in funds under this paragraph shall submit to the Authority concurrently with its next due quarterly report a revised budget incorporating the reduction in funds. The revised budget must meet the criteria specified in clauses (i) through (vi) of Section 4.11(b)(2). The Board shall review and act on the revised budget as provided in Section 4.11(b)(3).

(Source: P.A. 102-678, eff. 12-10-21; 103-281, eff. 1-1-24; 103-588, eff. 6-5-24.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.11) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 704.11)

Sec. 4.11. Budget Review Powers.

(a) Based upon estimates which shall be given to the Authority by the Director of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget (formerly Bureau of the Budget) of the receipts to be received by the Authority from the taxes imposed by the Authority and the authorized estimates of amounts to be available from State and other sources to the Service Boards, and the times at which such receipts and amounts will be available, the Board shall, not later than the next preceding September 15th prior to the beginning of the Authority's next fiscal year, advise each Service Board of the amounts estimated by the Board to be available for such Service Board during such fiscal year and the two following fiscal years and the times at which such amounts will be available. The Board shall, at the same time, also advise each Service Board of its required system generated revenues recovery ratio for the next fiscal year which shall be the percentage of the aggregate costs of providing public transportation by or under jurisdiction of that Service Board which must be recovered from system generated revenues. The Board shall, at the same time, consider the written determination of the Executive Director, made pursuant to Section 2.01d, of the costs of ADA paratransit services that are required to be provided under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations, and shall amend the current year budgets of the Authority and the Service Boards to provide for additional funding for the provision of ADA paratransit services, if needed. The Board shall, at the same time, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, also advise each Service Board that provides ADA paratransit services of its required system generated ADA paratransit services revenue recovery ratio for the next fiscal year which shall be the percentage of the aggregate costs of providing ADA paratransit services by or under jurisdiction of that Service Board which must be recovered from fares charged for such services, except that such required system generated ADA paratransit services revenue recovery ratio shall not exceed the minimum percentage established pursuant to Section 4.01(b)(ii) of this Act. In determining a Service Board's system generated revenue recovery ratio, the Board shall consider the historical system generated revenues recovery ratio for the services subject to the jurisdiction of that Service Board. The Board shall not increase a Service Board's system generated revenues recovery ratio for the next fiscal year over such ratio for the current fiscal year disproportionately or prejudicially to increases in such ratios for other Service Boards. The Board may, by ordinance, provide that (i) the cost of research and development projects in the fiscal year beginning January 1, 1986 and ending December 31, 1986 conducted pursuant to Section 2.09 of this Act, (ii) the costs for passenger security, and (iii) expenditures of amounts granted to a Service Board from the Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement Fund for operating purposes may be exempted from the farebox recovery ratio or the system generated revenues recovery ratio of the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, and the Commuter Rail Board, or any of them. During fiscal years 2008 through 2012, the Board may also allocate the exemption of $200,000,000 and the reducing amounts of costs provided by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly from the farebox recovery ratio or system generated revenues recovery ratio of each Service Board.

(b)(1) Not later than the next preceding November 15 prior to the commencement of such fiscal year, each Service Board shall submit to the Authority its proposed budget for such fiscal year and its proposed financial plan for the two following fiscal years. Such budget and financial plan shall (i) be prepared in the format, follow the financial and budgetary practices, and be based on any assumptions and projections required by the Authority and (ii) not project or assume a receipt of revenues from the Authority in amounts greater than those set forth in the estimates provided by the Authority pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section.

(2) The Board shall review the proposed budget and two-year financial plan submitted by each Service Board. The Board shall approve the budget and two-year financial plan of a Service Board if:

(i) such budget and plan show a balance between (A) anticipated revenues from all sources including operating subsidies and (B) the costs of providing the services specified and of funding any operating deficits or encumbrances incurred in prior periods, including provision for payment when due of principal and interest on outstanding indebtedness;

(ii) such budget and plan show cash balances including the proceeds of any anticipated cash flow borrowing sufficient to pay with reasonable promptness all costs and expenses as incurred;

(iii) such budget and plan provide for a level of fares or charges and operating or administrative costs for the public transportation provided by or subject to the jurisdiction of such Service Board sufficient to allow the Service Board to meet its required system generated revenue recovery ratio and, beginning with the 2007 fiscal year, system generated ADA paratransit services revenue recovery ratio;

(iv) such budget and plan are based upon and employ assumptions and projections which are reasonable and prudent;

(v) such budget and plan have been prepared in accordance with sound financial practices as determined by the Board;

(vi) such budget and plan meet such other financial, budgetary, or fiscal requirements that the Board may by rule or regulation establish; and

(vii) such budget and plan are consistent with the goals and objectives adopted by the Authority in the Strategic Plan.

(3) (Blank).

(4) Unless the Board by an affirmative vote of 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of it then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, determines that the budget and financial plan of a Service Board meets the criteria specified in clauses (i) through (vii) of subparagraph (2) of this paragraph (b), the Board shall withhold from that Service Board 25% of the cash proceeds of taxes imposed by the Authority under Section 4.03 and Section 4.03.1 and received after February 1 and 25% of the amounts transferred to the Authority from the Public Transportation Fund under Section 4.09(a) (but not including Section 4.09(a)(3)(iv)) after February 1 that the Board has estimated to be available to that Service Board under Section 4.11(a). Such funding shall be released to the Service Board only upon approval of a budget and financial plan under this Section or adoption of a budget and financial plan on behalf of the Service Board by the Authority.

(5) If the Board has not found that the budget and financial plan of a Service Board meets the criteria specified in clauses (i) through (vii) of subparagraph (2) of this paragraph (b), the Board, by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of it then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, shall adopt a budget and financial plan meeting such criteria for that Service Board.

(c)(1) If the Board shall at any time have received a revised estimate, or revises any estimate the Board has made, pursuant to this Section of the receipts to be collected by the Authority which, in the judgment of the Board, requires a change in the estimates on which the budget of any Service Board is based, the Board shall advise the affected Service Board of such revised estimates, and such Service Board shall within 30 days after receipt of such advice submit a revised budget incorporating such revised estimates. If the revised estimates require, in the judgment of the Board, that the system generated revenues recovery ratio of one or more Service Boards be revised in order to allow the Authority to meet its required ratio, the Board shall advise any such Service Board of its revised ratio and such Service Board shall within 30 days after receipt of such advice submit a revised budget incorporating such revised estimates or ratio.

(2) Each Service Board shall, within such period after the end of each fiscal quarter as shall be specified by the Board, report to the Authority its financial condition and results of operations and the financial condition and results of operations of the public transportation services subject to its jurisdiction, as at the end of and for such quarter. If in the judgment of the Board such condition and results are not substantially in accordance with such Service Board's budget for such period, the Board shall so advise such Service Board and such Service Board shall within the period specified by the Board submit a revised budget incorporating such results.

(3) If the Board shall determine that a revised budget submitted by a Service Board pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (2) of this paragraph (c) does not meet the criteria specified in clauses (i) through (vii) of subparagraph (2) of paragraph (b) of this Section, the Board shall withhold from that Service Board 25% of the cash proceeds of taxes imposed by the Authority under Section 4.03 or 4.03.1 and received by the Authority after February 1 and 25% of the amounts transferred to the Authority from the Public Transportation Fund under Section 4.09(a) (but not including Section 4.09(a)(3)(iv)) after February 1 that the Board has estimated to be available to that Service Board under Section 4.11(a). If the Service Board submits a revised financial plan and budget which plan and budget shows that the criteria will be met within a four quarter period, the Board shall release any such withheld funds to the Service Board. The Board by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of its then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of its then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026, may require a Service Board to submit a revised financial plan and budget which shows that the criteria will be met in a time period less than four quarters.

(d) All budgets and financial plans, financial statements, audits and other information presented to the Authority pursuant to this Section or which may be required by the Board to permit it to monitor compliance with the provisions of this Section shall be prepared and presented in such manner and frequency and in such detail as shall have been prescribed by the Board, shall be prepared on both an accrual and cash flow basis as specified by the Board, shall present such information as the Authority shall prescribe that fairly presents the condition of any pension plan or trust for health care benefits with respect to retirees established by the Service Board and describes the plans of the Service Board to meet the requirements of Sections 4.02a and 4.02b, and shall identify and describe the assumptions and projections employed in the preparation thereof to the extent required by the Board. If the Executive Director certifies that a Service Board has not presented its budget and two-year financial plan in conformity with the rules adopted by the Authority under the provisions of Section 4.01(f) and this subsection (d), and such certification is accepted by the affirmative vote of at least 12 of the then Directors of the Authority, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of the then Directors of the Authority, beginning February 1, 2026, the Authority shall not distribute to that Service Board any funds for operating purposes in excess of the amounts distributed for such purposes to the Service Board in the previous fiscal year. Except when the Board adopts a budget and a financial plan for a Service Board under paragraph (b)(5), a Service Board shall provide for such levels of transportation services and fares or charges therefor as it deems appropriate and necessary in the preparation of a budget and financial plan meeting the criteria set forth in clauses (i) through (vii) of subparagraph (2) of paragraph (b) of this Section. The Authority shall have access to and the right to examine and copy all books, documents, papers, records, or other source data of a Service Board relevant to any information submitted pursuant to this Section.

(e) Whenever this Section requires the Board to make determinations with respect to estimates, budgets or financial plans, or rules or regulations with respect thereto such determinations shall be made upon the affirmative vote of at least 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of the then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026 and shall be incorporated in a written report of the Board and such report shall be submitted within 10 days after such determinations are made to the Governor, the Mayor of Chicago (if such determinations relate to the Chicago Transit Authority), and the Auditor General of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 97-399, eff. 8-16-11.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.13) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 704.13)

Sec. 4.13. Annual Capital Improvement Plan.

(a) With respect to each calendar year, the Authority shall prepare as part of its Five Year Program an Annual Capital Improvement Plan (the "Plan") which shall describe its intended development and implementation of the Strategic Capital Improvement Program. The Plan shall include the following information:

(i) a list of projects for which approval is sought from the Governor, with a description of each project stating at a minimum the project cost, its category, its location and the entity responsible for its implementation;

(ii) a certification by the Authority that the Authority and the Service Boards have applied for all grants, loans and other moneys made available by the federal government or the State of Illinois during the preceding federal and State fiscal years for financing its capital development activities;

(iii) a certification that, as of September 30 of the preceding calendar year or any later date, the balance of all federal capital grant funds and all other funds to be used as matching funds therefor which were committed to or possessed by the Authority or a Service Board but which had not been obligated was less than $350,000,000, or a greater amount as authorized in writing by the Governor (for purposes of this subsection (a), "obligated" means committed to be paid by the Authority or a Service Board under a contract with a nongovernmental entity in connection with the performance of a project or committed under a force account plan approved by the federal government);

(iv) a certification that the Authority has adopted a balanced budget with respect to such calendar year under Section 4.01 of this Act;

(v) a schedule of all bonds or notes previously issued for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects and all debt service payments to be made with respect to all such bonds and the estimated additional debt service payments through June 30 of the following calendar year expected to result from bonds to be sold prior thereto;

(vi) a long-range summary of the Strategic Capital Improvement Program describing the projects to be funded through the Program with respect to project cost, category, location, and implementing entity, and presenting a financial plan including an estimated time schedule for obligating funds for the performance of approved projects, issuing bonds, expending bond proceeds and paying debt service throughout the duration of the Program; and

(vii) the source of funding for each project in the Plan. For any project for which full funding has not yet been secured and which is not subject to a federal full funding contract, the Authority must identify alternative, dedicated funding sources available to complete the project. The Governor may waive this requirement on a project by project basis.

(b) The Authority shall submit the Plan with respect to any calendar year to the Governor on or before January 15 of that year, or as soon as possible thereafter; provided, however, that the Plan shall be adopted on the affirmative votes of 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of the then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026. The Plan may be revised or amended at any time, but any revision in the projects approved shall require the Governor's approval.

(c) The Authority shall seek approval from the Governor only through the Plan or an amendment thereto. The Authority shall not request approval of the Plan from the Governor in any calendar year in which it is unable to make the certifications required under items (ii), (iii) and (iv) of subsection (a). In no event shall the Authority seek approval of the Plan from the Governor for projects in an aggregate amount exceeding the proceeds of bonds or notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects issued under Section 4.04 of this Act.

(d) The Governor may approve the Plan for which approval is requested. The Governor's approval is limited to the amount of the project cost stated in the Plan. The Governor shall not approve the Plan in a calendar year if the Authority is unable to make the certifications required under items (ii), (iii) and (iv) of subsection (a). In no event shall the Governor approve the Plan for projects in an aggregate amount exceeding the proceeds of bonds or notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects issued under Section 4.04 of this Act.

(e) With respect to capital improvements, only those capital improvements which are in a Plan approved by the Governor shall be financed with the proceeds of bonds or notes issued for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects.

(f) Before the Authority or a Service Board obligates any funds for a project for which the Authority or Service Board intends to use the proceeds of bonds or notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects, but which project is not included in an approved Plan, the Authority must notify the Governor of the intended obligation. No project costs incurred prior to approval of the Plan including that project may be paid from the proceeds of bonds or notes for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects issued under Section 4.04 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 94-839, eff. 6-6-06; 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(70 ILCS 3615/4.14) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 704.14)

Sec. 4.14. Rate Protection Contract. "Rate Protection Contract" means interest rate price exchange agreements; currency exchange agreements; forward payment conversion agreements; contracts providing for payment or receipt of funds based on levels of, or changes in, interest rates, currency exchange rates, stock or other indices; contracts to exchange cash flows or a series of payments; contracts, including without limitation, interest rate caps; interest rate floor; interest rate locks; interest rate collars; rate of return guarantees or assurances, to manage payment, currency, rate, spread or similar exposure; the obligation, right, or option to issue, put, lend, sell, grant a security interest in, buy, borrow or otherwise acquire, a bond, note or other security or interest therein as an investment, as collateral, as a hedge, or otherwise as a source or assurance of payment to or by the Authority or as a reduction of the Authority's or an obligor's risk exposure; repurchase agreements; securities lending agreements; and other agreements or arrangements similar to the foregoing.

Notwithstanding any provision in Section 2.20 (a) (ii) of this Act to the contrary, in connection with or incidental to the issuance by the Authority of its bonds or notes under the provisions of Section 4.04 or the exercise of its powers under subsection (b) of Section 2.20, the Authority, for its own benefit or for the benefit of the holders of its obligations or their trustee, may enter into rate protection contracts. The Authority may enter into rate protection contracts only pursuant to a determination by a vote of 12 of the then Directors, prior to February 1, 2026, and by the affirmative vote of at least 14 of the then Directors, beginning February 1, 2026 that the terms of the contracts and any related agreements reduce the risk of loss to the Authority, or protect, preserve or enhance the value of its assets, or provide compensation to the Authority for losses resulting from changes in interest rates. The Authority's obligations under any rate protection contract or credit enhancement or liquidity agreement shall not be considered bonds or notes for purposes of this Act. For purposes of this Section a rate protection contract is a contract determined by the Authority as necessary or appropriate to permit it to manage payment, currency or interest rate risks or levels.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.