(70 ILCS 3615/2.20) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 702.20)

Sec. 2.20. General Powers.

(a) Except as otherwise limited by this Act, the Authority shall also have all powers necessary to meet its responsibilities and to carry out its purposes, including, but not limited to, the following powers:

(i) To sue and be sued;

(ii) To invest any funds or any monies not required for immediate use or disbursement, as provided in "An Act relating to certain investments of public funds by public agencies", approved July 23, 1943, as now or hereafter amended;

(iii) To make, amend and repeal by-laws, rules and regulations, and ordinances not inconsistent with this Act;

(iv) To hold, sell, sell by installment contract, lease as lessor, transfer or dispose of such real or personal property as it deems appropriate in the exercise of its powers or to provide for the use thereof by any transportation agency and to mortgage, pledge or otherwise grant security interests in any such property;

(v) To enter at reasonable times upon such lands, waters or premises as in the judgment of the Authority may be necessary, convenient or desirable for the purpose of making surveys, soundings, borings and examinations to accomplish any purpose authorized by this Act after having given reasonable notice of such proposed entry to the owners and occupants of such lands, waters or premises, the Authority being liable only for actual damage caused by such activity;

(vi) To make and execute all contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers;

(vii) To enter into contracts of group insurance for the benefit of its employees and to provide for retirement or pensions or other employee benefit arrangements for such employees, and to assume obligations for pensions or other employee benefit arrangements for employees of transportation agencies, all or part of the facilities of which are acquired by the Authority;

(viii) To provide for the insurance of any property, directors, officers, employees or operations of the Authority against any risk or hazard, and to self-insure or participate in joint self-insurance pools or entities to insure against such risk or hazard;

(ix) To appear before the Illinois Commerce Commission in all proceedings concerning the Authority, a Service Board or any transportation agency; and

(x) To pass all ordinances and make all rules and regulations proper or necessary to regulate the use, operation and maintenance of its property and facilities and, by ordinance, to prescribe fines or penalties for violations thereof. No fine or penalty shall exceed $1,000 per offense. Any ordinance providing for any fine or penalty shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the metropolitan region. No such ordinance shall take effect until 10 days after its publication.

The Authority may enter into arbitration arrangements, which may be final and binding.

The Commuter Rail Board shall continue the separate public corporation, known as the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, as a separate operating unit to operate on behalf of the Commuter Rail Board commuter railroad facilities, subject at all times to the supervision and direction of the Commuter Rail Board and may, by ordinance, dissolve such Corporation. Such Corporation shall be governed by a Board of Directors which shall consist of the members of the Transition Board until such time as all of the members of the Commuter Rail Board are appointed and qualified and thereafter the members of the Commuter Rail Board. Such Corporation shall have all the powers given the Authority and the Commuter Rail Board under Article II of this Act (other than under Section 2.13) as are delegated to it by ordinance of the Commuter Rail Board with regard to such operation of facilities and the same exemptions, restrictions and limitations as are provided by law with regard to the Authority shall apply to such Corporation. Such Corporation shall be a transportation agency as provided in this Act except for purposes of paragraph (e) of Section 3.01 of this Act.

The Authority shall cooperate with the Illinois Commerce Commission and local law enforcement agencies in establishing a two year pilot program in DuPage County to determine the effectiveness of an automated railroad grade crossing enforcement system.

(b) In each case in which this Act gives the Authority the power to construct or acquire real or personal property, the Authority shall have the power to acquire such property by contract, purchase, gift, grant, exchange for other property or rights in property, lease (or sublease) or installment or conditional purchase contracts, which leases or contracts may provide for consideration therefor to be paid in annual installments during a period not exceeding 40 years. Property may be acquired subject to such conditions, restrictions, liens, or security or other interests of other parties as the Authority may deem appropriate, and in each case the Authority may acquire a joint, leasehold, easement, license or other partial interest in such property. Any such acquisition may provide for the assumption of, or agreement to pay, perform or discharge outstanding or continuing duties, obligations or liabilities of the seller, lessor, donor or other transferor of or of the trustee with regard to such property. In connection with the acquisition of public transportation equipment, including, but not limited to, rolling stock, vehicles, locomotives, buses or rapid transit equipment, the Authority may also execute agreements concerning such equipment leases, equipment trust certificates, conditional purchase agreements and such other security agreements and may make such agreements and covenants as required, in the form customarily used in such cases appropriate to effect such acquisition. Obligations of the Authority incurred pursuant to this Section shall not be considered bonds or notes within the meaning of Section 4.04 of this Act.

(c) The Authority shall assume all costs of rights, benefits and protective conditions to which any employee is entitled under this Act from any transportation agency in the event of the inability of the transportation agency to meet its obligations in relation thereto due to bankruptcy or insolvency, provided that the Authority shall retain the right to proceed against the bankrupt or insolvent transportation agency or its successors, trustees, assigns or debtors for the costs assumed. The Authority may mitigate its liability under this paragraph (c) and under Section 2.16 to the extent of employment and employment benefits which it tenders.

(Source: P.A. 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.)