January 11, 2008

 

 

To the Honorable Members of the

Illinois House of Representatives

95th General Assembly

 

Pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 656, entitled “AN ACT concerning transportation.”, with the following specific recommendations for change:

           

on page 14, line 16, after “2-15”, by inserting “and by adding 2-15.2”; and

 

on page 30, below line 16, by inserting the following:

 

            “(30 ILCS 740/2-15.2 new)

 

Sec. 2-15.2. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than 60 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, any fixed route public transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, every participant, as defined in Section 2-2.02 (1)(a), shall be provided without charge to all senior citizen residents of the participant aged 65 and older, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the participant.”; and

 

            on page 60, line 3, by replacing “12c and 50” with “12c, 50, and 51”; and

 

on page 80, below line 3, by inserting the following:

 

“(70 ILCS 3605/51 new)

 

Sec. 51. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than 60 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, any fixed route public transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Board shall be provided without charge to all senior citizens of the Metropolitan Region (as such term is defined in 70 ILCS 3615/1.03) aged 65 and older, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the Board.

 

Section 16. The Local Mass Transit District Act is amended by adding Section 8.6 as follows:

 

(70 ILCS 3610/8.6 new)

 

Sec. 8.6. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than 60 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, any fixed route public transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, every District shall be provided without charge to all senior citizens of the District aged 65 and older, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the District.”; and

 

on page 80, line 10, after “2.31,” by inserting “3A.15, 3B.14,”; and

 

on page 128, below line 11, by inserting the following:

 

“(70 ILCS 3615/3A.15 new)

 

Sec. 3A.15. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than 60 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, any fixed route public transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Suburban Bus Board shall be provided without charge to all senior citizens of the Metropolitan Region aged 65 and older, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the Suburban Bus Board.”; and

 

on page 148, below line 12, by inserting the following:

 

“(70 ILCS 3615/3B.14 new)

 

Sec. 3B.14. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than 60 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, any fixed route public transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Commuter Rail Board shall be provided without charge to all senior citizens of the Metropolitan Region aged 65 and older, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the Commuter Rail Board.”.

 

With these changes, House Bill 656 will have my approval. I respectfully request your concurrence. 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH

Governor