SB3608 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 20604 LNS 34095 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3608

Introduced 2/5/2026, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

605 ILCS 10/4	from Ch. 121, par. 100-4
605 ILCS 10/6	from Ch. 121, par. 100-6
605 ILCS 10/7.2 new
605 ILCS 10/8	from Ch. 121, par. 100-8

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Removes language providing that the chairman of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority shall exercise general supervision over all powers, duties, obligations, and functions of the Authority. Requires the directors of the Authority to appoint other agents or employees as they consider necessary or desirable. Requires the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint an Executive Director of the Authority to serve as the chief executive officer of the Board of Directors of the Authority. Removes language granting the Authority the power to appoint assistant attorneys for the Authority and the power to retain special counsel. Effective January 1, 2027.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Toll Highway Act is amended by changing Sections 4, 6, and 8 and by adding Section 7.2 as follows:

(605 ILCS 10/4) (from Ch. 121, par. 100-4)

Sec. 4. Of the directors appointed by the Governor, one such director shall be appointed by the Governor as chairman and shall hold office for 4 years from the date of his appointment, and until his successor shall be duly appointed and qualified, but shall be subject to removal by the Governor for incompetency, neglect of duty or malfeasance. The term of the initial chairman appointed under this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly shall end March 1, 2021 and the chairman shall serve until his or her successor is duly appointed and qualified.

The chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors of the Authority; shall exercise general supervision over all powers, duties, obligations and functions of the Authority; and shall approve or disapprove all resolutions, by-laws, rules, rates and regulations made and established by the Board of Directors, and if he shall approve thereof, he shall sign the same, and such as he shall not approve he shall return to the Board of Directors with his objections thereto in writing at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors occurring after the passage thereof. Such veto may extend to any one or more items contained in such resolution, by-law, rule, rate or regulation, or to its entirety; and in case the veto extends to a part of such resolution, by-law, rule, rate or regulation, the residue thereof shall take effect and be in force, but in case the chairman shall fail to return any resolution, by-law, rule, rate or regulation with his objections thereto by the time aforesaid, he shall be deemed to have approved the same, and the same shall take effect accordingly. Upon the return of any resolution, by-law, rule, rate or regulation by the chairman, the vote by which the same was passed shall be reconsidered by the Board of Directors, and if upon such reconsideration two-thirds of all the Directors agree by yeas and nays to pass the same, it shall go into effect notwithstanding the chairman's refusal to approve thereof. The process of approving or disapproving all resolutions, by-laws, rules, rates and regulations, as well as the ability of the Board of Directors to override the disapproval of the chairman, under this Section shall be set forth in the Authority's by-laws. Nothing in the Authority's by-laws, rules, or regulations may be contrary to this Section.

The chairman shall receive a salary of $18,000 per annum, or as set by the Compensation Review Board, whichever is greater, payable in monthly installments, together with reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his duties. The chairman shall be eligible for reappointment.

(Source: P.A. 100-1180, eff. 2-28-19.)

(605 ILCS 10/6) (from Ch. 121, par. 100-6)

Sec. 6. Immediately after such appointment and qualification as hereinafter provided said chairman and directors shall enter upon their duties. The directors shall biennially select a secretary, who may or may not be a director, and if not a director fix his compensation. The directors shall also appoint other agents or employees as they consider necessary or desirable. Such agents or employees, other than technical or engineering employees, shall be subject to the Personnel Code. Six directors shall constitute a quorum. No vacancy in the said Board of Directors shall impair the right of a quorum of the directors to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the Authority.

(Source: P.A. 81-1363.)

(605 ILCS 10/7.2 new)

Sec. 7.2. Toll Highway Executive Director. The Governor, with the advise and consent of the Senate, shall appoint from the State at large an Executive Director to the Authority to serve as the chief executive officer of the Board of Directors. The Board shall employ and fix the compensation of the Executive Director.

(605 ILCS 10/8) (from Ch. 121, par. 100-8)

Sec. 8. The Authority shall have the power:

(a) To acquire, own, use, hire, lease, operate and dispose of personal property, real property (except with respect to the headquarters building and surrounding land of the Authority located at 2700 Ogden Avenue, Downers Grove, Illinois, which may be sold or mortgaged only as provided in Section 7.5 of the State Property Control Act to the extent that such property is subject to the State Property Control Act at the time of the proposed sale), any interest therein, including rights-of-way, franchises and easements.

(b) To enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its powers under this Act. All employment contracts let under this Act shall be in conformity with the applicable provisions of "An Act regulating wages of laborers, mechanics and other workers employed under contracts for public works," approved June 26, 1941, as amended.

(c) To employ and discharge, without regard to the requirements of any civil service or personnel act, such administrative, engineering, traffic, architectural, construction, and financial experts, and inspectors, and such other employees, as are necessary in the Authority's judgment to carry out the purposes of this Act; and to establish and administer standards of classification of all of such persons with respect to their compensation, duties, performance, and tenure; and to enter into contracts of employment with such persons for such periods and on such terms as the Authority deems desirable.

(d) (Blank). To appoint by and with the consent of the Attorney General, assistant attorneys for such Authority, which said assistant attorneys shall be under the control, direction and supervision of the Attorney General and shall serve at his pleasure.

(e) (Blank). To retain special counsel, subject to the approval of the Attorney General, as needed from time to time, and fix their compensation, provided however, such special counsel shall be subject to the control, direction and supervision of the Attorney General and shall serve at his pleasure.

(f) To acquire, construct, relocate, operate, regulate and maintain a system of toll highways through and within the State of Illinois. However, the Authority does not have the power to acquire, operate, regulate or maintain any system of toll highways or toll bridges or portions of them (including but not limited to any system organized pursuant to Division 108 of Article 11 of the Illinois Municipal Code) in the event either of the following conditions exists at the time the proposed acquisition, operation, regulation or maintenance of such system is to become effective:

(1) the principal or interest on bonds or other instruments evidencing indebtedness of the system are in default; or

(2) the principal or interest on bonds or other instruments evidencing indebtedness of the system have been in default at any time during the 5 year period prior to the proposed acquisition.

To facilitate such construction, operation and maintenance and subject to the approval of the Division of Highways of the Department of Transportation, the Authority shall have the full use and advantage of the engineering staff and facilities of the Department.

(Source: P.A. 93-19, eff. 6-20-03.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2027.