102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB0399

 

Introduced 2/8/2021, by Rep. Martin J. Moylan

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the High-Speed Railway Commission Act. Prescribes the membership of the Commission. Provides that the 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. Provides that 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. Provides that the Commission shall report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than December 31 of each year. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall provide administrative support to the Commission. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2027. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5High-Speed Railway Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Commission created; membership.
7    (a) There is created the High-Speed Railway Commission to
8carry out the duties set forth in Section 10.
9    (b) The Commission shall be composed of the following
10members:
11        (1) The Governor or his or her designee.
12        (2) The President of the Senate or his or her
13    designee.
14        (3) The Minority Leader of the Senate or his or her
15    designee.
16        (4) The Speaker of the House or his or her designee.
17        (5) The Minority Leader of the House or his or her
18    designee.
19        (6) The Secretary of Transportation or his or her
20    designee.
21        (7) The Chairperson of the Illinois State Toll Highway
22    Authority or his or her designee.
23        (8) The Chairperson of the Illinois Commerce

 

 

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1    Commission or his or her designee.
2        (9) The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Metra
3    or his or her designee.
4        (10) The Mayor of the City of Chicago or his or her
5    designee.
6        (11) A representative of a labor organization
7    representing rail workers.
8        (12) A representative of a trade organization related
9    to the rail industry.
10        (13) A representative of the Metropolitan Mayors and
11    Managers Association.
12        (14) A representative from the Illinois Railroad
13    Association.
14        (15) A representative from the University of Illinois
15    System.
16        (16) A representative from the Municipal Planning
17    Organization.
18        (17) A representative of the Illinois Municipal
19    League.
20        (18) A representative of the Champaign-Urbana Mass
21    Transit District.
22    (c) The Chairperson of the Commission shall be elected
23from the Commission's membership by a simple majority vote of
24the total membership of the Commission. The Vice-Chairperson
25of the Commission shall be elected from the Commission's
26membership by a simple majority vote of the total membership

 

 

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1of the Commission.
2    (d) The Governor, President of the Senate, Minority Leader
3of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
4Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall make
5their initial appointments to the Commission by January 1,
62022.
7    (e) Vacancies in Commission membership shall be filled in
8the same manner as initial appointments.
9    (f) Total membership of the Commission consists of the
10number of members serving on the Commission, not including any
11vacant positions. A quorum consists of a simple majority of
12total membership and shall be sufficient to conduct the
13business of the Commission, unless stipulated otherwise in the
14bylaws of the Commission.
15    (g) The Commission shall meet at least quarterly.
 
16    Section 10. Duties of Commission. The High-Speed Railway
17Commission shall create a statewide plan for a high-speed rail
18line and feeder network connecting St. Louis, Missouri and
19Chicago, Illinois that includes current existing Amtrak and
20Metra services, connects the cities of Rockford, Moline,
21Peoria, and Decatur, and uses inter-city bus service to
22coordinate with the rail line. The Commission shall conduct a
23ridership study and shall make findings and recommendations
24concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service,
25and implementation of the plan. The Commission shall report to

 

 

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1the General Assembly and the Governor no later than December
231 of each year.
 
3    Section 15. Administrative support. The Department of
4Transportation shall provide administrative and other support
5to the Commission.
 
6    Section 20. Repeal. This Act is repealed on January 1,
72027.
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.