SR0794 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0794 LRB096 22054 RLJ 40458 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, High-speed rail is an efficient and environmentally friendly means of transportation; and

WHEREAS, The State must be prepared to design, build, finance, and maintain a high-speed rail system for the benefit of the State's citizens; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois and Midwest High-Speed Rail Commission is created for the purpose of recommending the best governmental structure for a public-private partnership to design, build, operate, maintain, and finance a high-speed rail system for Illinois and the Midwest; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall be composed of 19 members as follows:

(1) 12 public members appointed by the Governor;

(2) 2 members of the Illinois House of Representatives, one appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by the House Minority Leader;

(3) 2 members of the Illinois Senate, one appointed by the Senate President and one appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; and

(4) 3 ex-officio members as follows:

(A) the Illinois Secretary of Transportation;

(B) the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; and

(C) the Executive Director of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a person appointed as a public member of the Commission must be a resident of this State; public members of the Commission must include the following: (i) local elected officials who have expressed interest in high-speed rail, (ii) former elected officials with transportation policy expertise, (iii) individuals with professional expertise in long-term financing of infrastructure, and (iv) individuals with expertise in transportation or railroad infrastructure projects; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the appointed members shall reflect the geographic diversity of the State and shall include representation from all regions of the State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Governor shall designate one public member of the Commission to serve as the chair of the Commission and one public member to serve as the vice-chair of the Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a member of the Commission is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred by the member while transacting Commission business; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall meet at least monthly at the times and places in this State that the chair designates; members may participate in Commission meetings by teleconference or video conference; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a majority of the members of the Commission constitute a quorum for transacting Commission business; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall prepare and issue a report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the public by December 31, 2010, recommending the best governmental structure for a public-private partnership to design, build, operate, maintain, and finance a high-speed rail system for Illinois and the Midwest; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the report must include the following: (i) recommendations for legislation, if statutory change is required, or specific administrative regulations, if regulatory change is required, to implement the recommended high-speed rail system; (ii) sources for the funding of a high-speed rail system including private sources of capital and revenue bonds; (iii) recommendations for integrating the high-speed rail system into existing and planned Amtrak expansions, airports, and public transportation systems; and (iv) recommendations for federal, State, and local actions for the development and implementation of a high-speed rail system; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall develop a process to receive public and stakeholder input on opinions and proposals for building, designing, maintaining, operating, and financing a high-speed rail system for Illinois and the Midwest; the process must include the solicitation and receipt of formal expressions of interest and other testimony from global high-speed rail operators including without limitation Amtrak; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall solicit and receive formal testimony, both written and oral, from representatives of the other states in the Midwest including without limitation representatives from units of local government; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall work collaboratively with the Illinois Department of Transportation on any planning projects for high-speed rail administered by the Department to comply with federal high-speed rail requirements including without limitation the solicitation of public input and comments; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Commission shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the Illinois Department of Transportation available for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.