Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 097-0085
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Public Act 097-0085


 

Public Act 0085 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  
  

 


 
Public Act 097-0085
 
HB3597 EnrolledLRB097 06493 RLJ 46576 b

    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Metropolitan Transit Authority Act is
amended by changing Section 30 as follows:
 
    (70 ILCS 3605/30)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 330)
    Sec. 30. The Board shall make all rules and regulations
governing the operation of the transportation system, shall
determine all routings and change the same whenever it is
deemed advisable by the Board, subject to the provisions of any
ordinance granting rights to the Authority. Except as provided
in Sections 2.04 and Section 4.11(b)(5) of the "Regional
Transportation Authority Act", the Board shall fix rates, fares
and charges for transportation, provided that they shall be at
all times sufficient in the aggregate to provide revenues (a)
for the payment of the interest on and principal of all bonds,
certificates and other obligations payable from said revenues
and to meet all other charges upon such revenues as provided by
any trust agreement executed by the Authority in connection
with the issuance of bonds or certificates under this Act, (b)
for the payment of all operating costs including all charges
which may be incurred pursuant to Sections 29 and 39 of this
Act and all other costs and charges incidental to the operation
of the transportation system, (c) for the payment of all costs
and charges incurred pursuant to Sections 37 and 38 of this Act
and any other costs and charges for acquisition, installation,
construction or for replacement or reconstruction of
equipment, structures or rights of way not financed through
issuance of bonds or certificates under Section 12 of this Act,
and (d) for any compensation required to be paid to any
municipality for the use of streets, subways and other public
ways. The Board may provide free transportation within any
municipality in and by which they are employed for firemen and
public health nurses, when in uniform, and policemen when in
uniform or, when not in uniform, upon presentation of
identification as policemen, and shall provide free
transportation to sworn law enforcement personnel of the Cook
County Sheriff's Department when in uniform or, when not in
uniform, upon presentation of identification as sworn law
enforcement personnel of the Cook County Sheriff's Department,
and may provide free transportation for employees of the
Authority when in uniform or upon presentation of
identification as such employees, and may enter into agreements
with the United States Post Office Department for the
transportation of mail, and the payment of compensation to the
Authority in lieu of fares for the transportation of letter
carriers, when in uniform at all times.
    The Board may also provide free transportation, or
transportation at reduced fares, to all or designated classes
of pupils in attendance at public schools of school districts
within or partly within the territorial limits of the
Authority, or in attendance at private schools offering grades
of instruction comparable to those offered in public schools,
under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the Board, and,
if otherwise authorized by law, the Board may contract with
public school boards and representatives of private schools,
for reimbursement of pupil transportation costs from public
funds.
(Source: P.A. 83-886.)
 
    Section 10. The Regional Transportation Authority Act is
amended by changing Section 2.04 and adding Sections 2.35,
2.37, 3B.20, and 3B.25 as follows:
 
    (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.
(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)
 
    (70 ILCS 3615/2.35 new)
    Sec. 2.35. Vehicle arrival information. By July 1, 2012,
all Service Boards must make available web-based, real-time
vehicle arrival information for use by riders for all
fixed-route public transportation services. The Authority
shall have access to all universally acceptable data feeds for
vehicle arrival information.
 
    (70 ILCS 3615/2.37 new)
    Sec. 2.37. Wireless Internet study. By January 1, 2012, the
Authority must prepare and submit a report to the Governor and
General Assembly regarding the feasibility of providing
wireless Internet services on all fixed-route public
transportation services.
 
    (70 ILCS 3615/3B.20 new)
    Sec. 3B.20. Wireless Internet. The Commuter Rail Board must
provide wireless Internet service on all passenger trains it
owns or operates by January 1, 2012, but only if the service
can be provided with no cost to the Commuter Rail Division.
 
    (70 ILCS 3615/3B.25 new)
    Sec. 3B.25. Automated external defibrillators. The
Commuter Rail Board must conduct a study concerning the
installation and use of automated external defibrillators on
passenger trains operated by the Commuter Rail Board. No later
than one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act
of the 97th General Assembly, the Commuter Rail Board must
report to the Governor and the General Assembly the results of
the study. For the purposes of this Section, "automated
external defibrillator" has the meaning ascribed to that term
in Section 10 of the Automated External Defibrillator Act.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 7/7/2011