Sen. Ram Villivalam

Filed: 2/22/2022

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1233

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1233 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Blue-Ribbon Commission on Transportation Infrastructure
6Funding and Policy Act.
 
7    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
8following:
9        (1) Illinois' transportation system is crucial to
10    every resident, employee, and business. It serves as the
11    backbone of the economy and is a critical component of
12    Illinois' economic competitiveness.
13        (2) The State must continue to pursue an equitable
14    transportation network in which marginalized communities
15    have improved access to all modes of transportation,
16    thereby enhancing access to jobs, housing, and other

 

 

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1    services.
2        (3) Illinois is home to an expansive transportation
3    network, currently ranking third in the nation for the
4    number of roadway miles and bridges, totaling 127,044 and
5    26,848, respectively. The State also has 6,883 miles of
6    freight railway, 1,118 inland waterway miles, 58 transit
7    systems with over 450 million annual transit trips, and 17
8    major airports.
9        (4) The historic Rebuild Illinois capital plan adopted
10    in 2019 will end in June 2025.
11        (5) The motor fuel tax and vehicle registration fees
12    remain the most significant form of transportation funding
13    for Illinois.
14        (6) Illinois will continue to contend with
15    transportation funding shortfalls due to increasing
16    vehicle fuel efficiency and the rising popularity of
17    electric vehicles.
18        (7) New and innovative funding and policy options are
19    needed to adequately maintain Illinois' transportation
20    systems and support future growth.
21        (8) The General Assembly should study these issues to
22    determine funding mechanisms for transportation projects
23    and operations in Illinois, policy changes to support the
24    efficient governance and delivery of transportation
25    projects, and the workforce needed to support the future
26    transportation system.
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. Commission created.
2    (a) The Blue-Ribbon Commission on Transportation
3Infrastructure Funding and Policy is created within the
4Department of Transportation consisting of members appointed
5as follows:
6        (1) Four members of the House of Representatives, with
7    2 to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
8    Representatives and 2 to be appointed by the Minority
9    Leader of the House of Representatives.
10        (2) Four members of the Senate, with 2 to be appointed
11    by the President of the Senate and 2 to be appointed by the
12    Minority Leader of the Senate.
13        (3) Eight members appointed by the Governor with the
14    advice and consent of the Senate.
15        (4) The chair of the Commission to be appointed by the
16    Governor from among his 8 appointments.
17    (b) Members shall have expertise, knowledge, or experience
18in transportation infrastructure development, construction,
19workforce, or policy. Members shall also represent a diverse
20set of sectors, including the labor, engineering,
21construction, transit, active transportation, rail, air, or
22other sectors, and shall include participants of the
23Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. No more than 2
24appointees shall be members of the same sector.
25    (c) Members shall represent geographically diverse regions

 

 

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1of the State.
2    (d) Members shall be appointed by May 31, 2022.
 
3    Section 15. Meetings. The Commission shall hold its first
4meeting within 2 months from the effective date of this Act.
5The Commission may conduct meetings at such places and at such
6times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to
7exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties,
8and accomplish its objectives and purposes.
 
9    Section 20. Duties. The Commission shall evaluate
10Illinois' existing transportation infrastructure funding and
11policy processes and develop alternative solutions. The
12Commission shall:
13        (1) Evaluate current transportation funding in
14    Illinois, taking into account the viability of existing
15    revenue sources and funding distributions.
16        (2) Consider new and innovative funding options.
17        (3) Evaluate the existing governance of Illinois'
18    transportation system, including roles and
19    responsibilities for the State and county, township, and
20    municipal governments.
21        (4) Evaluate current and future workforce needs to
22    design, construct, and manage the state's transportation
23    system within the Illinois Department of Transportation
24    and within the State as a whole.

 

 

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1        (5) Evaluate current and future data needs of the
2    Illinois Department of Transportation.
3        (6) Consider and recommend steps to expedite project
4    approval and completion.
5        (7) Consider future trends that will impact the
6    transportation system, including safety needs, racial
7    equity, electric vehicles, and climate change.
8        (8) Consider ways to improve transportation investment
9    impacts on goals such as improving racial equity,
10    addressing climate change, and increasing economic growth.
11        (9) Consider improvements to the performance-based
12    programming system.
13        (10) Consider multimodal system needs, including
14    public transportation, bicycle facilities, railways,
15    waterways, and airports.
16        (11) Consider alternative solutions employed by other
17    states.
 
18    Section 25. Report. The Commission shall direct the
19Illinois Department of Transportation to enter into a contract
20with a third party to assist the Commission in producing a
21document that evaluates the topics under this Act and outline
22formal recommendations that can be acted upon by the General
23Assembly. The Commission shall report a summary of its
24activities and produce a final report of the data, findings,
25and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 31,

 

 

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12023. The final report shall include specific, actionable
2recommendations for legislation and organizational
3adjustments. The final report may include recommendations for
4pilot programs to test alternatives. The final report and
5recommendations shall also include any minority and individual
6views of task force members.
 
7    Section 30. Repeal. This Commission is dissolved, and this
8Act is repealed on February 1, 2023.
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.".