70 ILCS 3610/5.6

(70 ILCS 3610/5.6)

Sec. 5.6. Suspension of riding privileges and confiscation of fare media.

(a) As used in this Section, "demographic information" includes, but is not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, gender, and housing status, as that term is defined under Section 10 of the Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act.

(b) Suspension of riding privileges and confiscation of fare media are limited to:

(1) violations where the person's conduct places transit employees or transit passengers in reasonable apprehension of a threat to their safety or the safety of others, including assault and battery, as those terms are defined under Sections 12-1 and 12-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012;

(2) violations where the person's conduct places transit employees or transit passengers in reasonable apprehension of a threat of a criminal sexual assault, as that term is defined under Section 11-1.20 of the Criminal Code of 2012; and

(3) violations involving an act of public indecency, as that term is defined in Section 11-30 of the Criminal Code of 2012.

(c) Written notice shall be provided to an individual regarding the suspension of the individual's riding privileges or confiscation of fare media. The notice shall be provided in person at the time of the alleged violation, except that, if providing notice in person at the time of the alleged violation is not practicable, then the Authority shall make a reasonable effort to provide notice to the individual by either personal service, by mailing a copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first-class mail to the person's current address, or by emailing a copy of the notice to an email address on file, if available. If the person is known to be detained in jail, service shall be made as provided under Section 2-203.2 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The written notice shall be sufficient to inform the individual about the following:

(1) the nature of the suspension of riding privileges or confiscation of fare media;

(2) the person's rights and available remedies to contest or appeal the suspension of riding privileges or confiscation of fare media and to apply for reinstatement of riding privileges; and

(3) the procedures for adjudicating whether a suspension or confiscation is warranted and for applying for reinstatement of riding privileges, including the time and location of any hearing.

The process to determine whether a suspension or riding privileges or confiscation of fare media is warranted and the length of the suspension shall be concluded within 30 business days after the individual receives notice of the suspension or confiscation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, no person shall be denied the ability to contest or appeal a suspension of riding privileges or confiscation of fare media, or to attend a hearing to determine whether a suspension or confiscation was warranted, because the person was detained in a jail.

(d) Each Board shall create an administrative suspension hearing process as follows:

(1) A Board shall designate an official to oversee the administrative process to decide whether a suspension is warranted and the length of the suspension.

(2) The accused and related parties, including legal counsel, may attend this hearing in person, by telephone, or virtually.

(3) The Board shall present the suspension-related evidence and outline the evidence that supports the need for the suspension.

(4) The accused or the accused's legal counsel can present and may make an oral or written presentation and offer documents, including affidavits, in response to the Board's evidence.

(5) The Board's designated official shall make a finding on the suspension.

(6) The value of unexpended credit or unexpired passes shall be reimbursed upon suspension of riding privileges or confiscation of fare media.

(7) The alleged victims of the violation and related parties, including witnesses who were present, may attend this hearing in person, by telephone, or virtually.

(8) The alleged victims of the violation and related parties, including witnesses who were present, can present and may make an oral or written presentation and offer documents, including affidavits, in response to the Board's evidence.

(e) Each Board shall create a process to appeal and reinstate ridership privileges. This information shall be provided to the suspended rider at the time of the Board's findings. A suspended rider is entitled to 2 appeals after the Board's finding to suspend the person's ridership. A suspended rider may petition the Board to reinstate the person's ridership privileges one calendar year after the Board's suspension finding if the length of the suspension is more than one year.

(f) Each Board shall collect, report, and make publicly available in a quarterly timeframe the number and demographic information of people subject to suspension of riding privileges or confiscation of fare media, the conduct leading to the suspension or confiscation, as well as the location and description of the location where the conduct occurred, such as identifying the transit station or transit line, date, and time of day, a citation to the statutory authority for which the accused person was arrested or charged, the amount, if any, on the fare media, and the length of the suspension.

(Source: P.A. 103-281, eff. 1-1-24.)