SB3285sam001 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. Steve Stadelman

Filed: 4/28/2026

10400SB3285sam001 LRB104 17224 SPS 36991 a

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 3285

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 3285 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 1. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Illinois is the historic and operational hub of the nation's passenger rail network, serving as the national terminal for multiple passenger rail routes providing vital interstate and regional connections.

(2) The Federal Railroad Administration's Midwest Regional Rail Plan (2021) identifies Illinois as the center of a high-frequency intercity rail system connecting major Midwestern cities and states. The Plan identifies 5 routes radiating from Chicago with 16 to 25 departures in each direction daily.

(3) The Midwest Regional Rail Plan also identifies other routes radiating from Chicago without specifying service levels.

(4) Increasing passenger rail service frequencies across all corridors and long-distance routes will strengthen Illinois' economy, reduce road and airport congestion, improve sustainability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide residents more freedom to travel.

(5) Illinois' freight rail network is among the best in the world and expanding passenger rail service must be done so in full partnership with the host railroads.

(6) Hourly service for intercity passenger rail is the ideal frequency for high-demand routes in order to unlock the full potential of travel along each route. Each route must be evaluated based on existing capacity on host railroads, underlying demand for travel, and opportunities for new tracks or infrastructure to provide passenger service.

(7) Some portions of freight lines are incompatible with hourly frequencies for passenger service due to existing and ongoing demand for freight traffic.

(8) An important strategy to deliver high-frequency passenger train service is the development of new tracks, sidings and grade separations designated primarily for passenger train service.

(9) The development of high-frequency service on these routes will require significantly new station capacity in Chicago.

(10) Illinois is fortunate to have Metra, one of the best publicly-owned railroads in the nation and leadership from private railroads engaged in long-term partnerships to deliver passenger rail service. Extending those relationships and expertise from commuter rail to intercity passenger rail throughout the Midwest to assist the Department of Transportation is a wise use of resources.

(11) Therefore, it is the policy of the State to define and pursue an integrated intercity shared corridor and high-speed rail network as part of the Illinois State Rail Plan, to task a Commission of stakeholders to assist the Department in developing such plans, and to ensure that the most appropriate and achievable high-frequency passenger rail service is incorporated into all metropolitan, regional, and statewide transportation planning processes in a manner consistent with federal law and planning cycles.

Section 5. The High-Speed Railway Commission Act is amended by changing Sections 1, 5, 10, 15 as follows:

(20 ILCS 4102/1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Intercity Shared Corridor and High-Speed Railway Commission Act.

(Source: P.A. 102-261, eff. 8-6-21.)

(20 ILCS 4102/5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 5. Commission created; membership.

(a) There is created the Intercity Shared Corridor and High-Speed Railway Commission to carry out the duties set forth in Section 10.

(b) The Commission shall be composed of the following members:

(1) The Governor or his or her designee.

(2) The President of the Senate or his or her designee.

(3) The Minority Leader of the Senate or his or her designee.

(4) The Speaker of the House of Representatives or his or her designee.

(5) The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or his or her designee.

(6) The Secretary of Transportation or his or her designee.

(7) The Chairperson of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority or his or her designee.

(8) The Chairperson of the Illinois Commerce Commission or his or her designee.

(9) The Chairperson of the Commuter Rail Board or his or her designee.

(10) The Mayor of the City of Chicago or his or her designee.

(10.5) The Chairperson of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority or his or her designee.

(11) Two representatives A representative of a labor organization representing rail workers, appointed by the Governor.

(11.5) A representative of a labor organization representing workers that perform construction or maintenance of infrastructure, appointed by the Governor.

(12) A representative of a trade organization related to the rail industry, appointed by the Governor.

(13) A representative of the Metropolitan Mayors and Managers Association, appointed by the Governor.

(14) Two representatives A representative from the Illinois Railroad Association, appointed by the Governor.

(15) A representative from the University of Illinois System, appointed by the Governor.

(16) A representative from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, appointed by the Governor.

(17) A representative of the Illinois Municipal League, appointed by the Governor.

(18) A representative of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, appointed by the Governor.

(19) A representative of the Region 1 Planning Council, appointed by the Governor.

(20) A representative of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission, appointed by the Governor.

(21) A representative of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, appointed by the Governor.

(c) The Chairperson of the Commission shall be elected from the Commission's membership by a simple majority vote of the total membership of the Commission. The Vice-Chairperson of the Commission shall be elected from the Commission's membership by a simple majority vote of the total membership of the Commission.

(d) Appointments made by the Governor under subsection (b) shall be made no later than January 1, 2027 2023.

(e) Vacancies in Commission membership shall be filled in the same manner as provided under subsection (b).

(f) Total membership of the Commission consists of the number of members serving on the Commission, not including any vacant positions. A quorum consists of a simple majority of total membership and shall be sufficient to conduct the business of the Commission, unless stipulated otherwise in the bylaws of the Commission.

(g) The Commission shall meet at least quarterly, and hold its first meeting within 30 days after the appointment of members under subsection (d).

(h) Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation for service as members.

(Source: P.A. 102-261, eff. 8-6-21; 102-1001, eff. 5-27-22.)

(20 ILCS 4102/10)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 10. Duties of Commission. The Intercity Shared Corridor and High-Speed Railway Commission shall create a statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and feeder network connecting St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois that includes current existing Amtrak and Metra services, connects the cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria, and Decatur, and uses inter-city bus service to coordinate with the rail line. The Commission shall conduct a ridership study and shall make findings and recommendations concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service, and implementation of the plan.

The Commission shall evaluate the following routes as potential enhancements and improvements to the statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and the State's long-range transportation plan:

(1) Chicago to Milwaukee to Green Bay;

(2) Chicago to Janesville to Madison to St. Paul;

(3) Chicago to Rockford to East Dubuque;

(4) Chicago to Normal to Springfield;

(5) Chicago to Detroit to Toronto;

(6) Chicago to Cleveland to Buffalo to Boston;

(7) Chicago to Fort Wayne to Columbus to Pittsburgh to Philadelphia;

(8) Chicago to Indianapolis to Cincinnati;

(9) Chicago to Indianapolis to Louisville to Nashville to Atlanta;

(10) Chicago to Champaign to Carbondale to Memphis;

(11) Champaign to Decatur to Springfield;

(12) Springfield to East St. Louis to St. Louis to Kansas City;

(13) Chicago to Moline to Des Moines to Omaha to Denver;

(14) Chicago to Peoria;

(15) Chicago to Galesburg to Quincy to Hannibal; and

(16) Carbondale to East St. Louis.

The Commission shall evaluate each of the routes listed in paragraphs (1) through (16) as target passenger rail routes and suggest appropriate levels of frequencies based on projected ridership demand, stakeholder input, and experience in other regions with similar population densities and distances. The Commission shall consider increased frequencies on existing routes and on new tracks and other infrastructure to increase the level of service on each route, including adding new tracks and infrastructure to existing railroad right-of-way with agreements to accommodate the additional frequencies and the acquisition of State-owned rights-of-way for the construction of dedicated passenger tracks where appropriate. The Commission shall hold at least one meeting each calendar year on each route specified in paragraphs (1) through (16). The Commission may invite relevant stakeholders to participate in the meetings, including, but not limited to, other state Departments of Transportation, passenger rail service providers, commuter rail agencies, and elected officials who represent the region.

The Commission shall assist the Department of Transportation in rail planning and oversight of passenger rail service providers by holding public meetings on route development, progress on planning of routes, development of cost estimates of new infrastructure, ridership surveys, and planning for new station capacity in Chicago.

The Commission shall report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than December 1 31 of each year.

(Source: P.A. 102-261, eff. 8-6-21.)

(20 ILCS 4102/15)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 15. Administrative support.

(a) The Department of Transportation shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission.

(b) The Northern Illinois Transit Authority may provide administrative and other support to the Commission.

(Source: P.A. 102-261, eff. 8-6-21.)

(20 ILCS 4102/20 rep.)

Section 10. The High-Speed Railway Commission Act is amended by repealing Section 20.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".