Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that establishes the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) and Appropriates Funds for Public Transportation Agencies in Illinois.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Northern Illinois Transportation Authority (NITA) in place of the Regional Transportation Authority (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the NITA Board as the governing body of the NITA, with the following makeup (Sec. 2.49):

• 5 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 5 directors appointed by the Governor;

• 5 directors appointed by the Cook County President; and

• 1 director appointed by each of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.

• Amends the makeup of the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority to be comprised of the following, beginning September 1, 2026 (Sec. 19.5):

• 3 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 2 directors appointed by the Governor; and

• 2 directors appointed by the Cook County President.

• Amends the makeup of the Board of the Suburban Bus Division to be comprised of the following, beginning September 1, 2026 (Sec. 3A.02):

• 1 director appointed by the Governor;

• 2 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 3 directors appointed by the Cook County President; and

• 1 director appointed by each of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.

• Amends the makeup of the Board of the Commuter Rail Division to be comprised of the following, beginning September 1, 2026 (Sec. 3B.02.5):

• 1 director appointed by the Governor;

• 2 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 3 directors appointed by the Cook County President; and

• 1 director appointed by each of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.

• Requires the NITA to provide complementary paratransit services to visitors with verified need (Sec. 4).

• Establishes the NITA Law Enforcement Task Force led by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the Chicago Police Department, the Metra Police, the Illinois State Police, and other county sheriff’s and municipal police departments in the metropolitan region (Sec. 2.11.05).

• Specifies that the purpose of the NITA Law Enforcement Task Force is to combat violent and other crime to preserve life and reduce the occurrence and fear of crime on public transit (Sec. 2.11.05).

• Requires the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and counties and municipalities to support the NITA and other public transit providers in the implementation of bus rapid transit (Sec. 2705-592).

• Requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to evaluate project potential for mode shift away from single-occupancy vehicles and commercial motor vehicles (Sec. 2705-203).

• Requires the NITA to develop a transition plan with assistance from a third party contracted by the Illinois Department of Transportation to assure an orderly transition of functions and responsibilities (Sec. 7.02).

• Appropriates 85% of revenue from the sales tax on motor fuels to the NITA Capital Improvement Fund, and the remaining 15% to the Downstate Mass Transportation Capital Improvement Fund, beginning July 1, 2026 (Sec. 5d).

• Increases the Regional Transportation Authority sales tax from 0.75% to 1% in Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, and Will Counties, and from 1% to 1.25% in Cook County (Sec. 4.03).

• Appropriates 90% of the interest earned on money in the Road Fund to the NITA Capital Improvement Fund, and the remaining 10% to the Downstate Mass Transportation Capital Improvement Fund, beginning in fiscal year 2027 (Sec. 8.3).

• Increases tolls for passenger vehicles by 45 cents, and tolls on commercial vehicles by 30%, with proportional reductions for reduced fare programs, beginning January 1, 2027 (Sec. 11).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect June 1, 2026 (Sec. 99-99).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that establishes the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) and Appropriates Funds for Public Transportation Agencies in Illinois.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Northern Illinois Transportation Authority (NITA) in place of the Regional Transportation Authority (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the NITA Board as the governing body of the NITA, with the following makeup (Sec. 2.49):

• 5 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 5 directors appointed by the Governor;

• 5 directors appointed by the Cook County President; and

• 1 director appointed by each of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.

• Amends the makeup of the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority to be comprised of the following, beginning September 1, 2026 (Sec. 19.5):

• 3 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 2 directors appointed by the Governor; and

• 2 directors appointed by the Cook County President.

• Amends the makeup of the Board of the Suburban Bus Division to be comprised of the following, beginning September 1, 2026 (Sec. 3A.02):

• 1 director appointed by the Governor;

• 2 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 3 directors appointed by the Cook County President; and

• 1 director appointed by each of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.

• Amends the makeup of the Board of the Commuter Rail Division to be comprised of the following, beginning September 1, 2026 (Sec. 3B.02.5):

• 1 director appointed by the Governor;

• 2 directors appointed by the Mayor of Chicago;

• 3 directors appointed by the Cook County President; and

• 1 director appointed by each of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.

• Requires the NITA to provide complementary paratransit services to visitors with verified need (Sec. 4).

• Establishes the NITA Law Enforcement Task Force led by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the Chicago Police Department, the Metra Police, the Illinois State Police, and other county sheriff’s and municipal police departments in the metropolitan region (Sec. 2.11.05).

• Specifies that the purpose of the NITA Law Enforcement Task Force is to combat violent and other crime to preserve life and reduce the occurrence and fear of crime on public transit (Sec. 2.11.05).

• Requires the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and counties and municipalities to support the NITA and other public transit providers in the implementation of bus rapid transit (Sec. 2705-592).

• Requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to evaluate project potential for mode shift away from single-occupancy vehicles and commercial motor vehicles (Sec. 2705-203).

• Requires the NITA to develop a transition plan with assistance from a third party contracted by the Illinois Department of Transportation to assure an orderly transition of functions and responsibilities (Sec. 7.02).

• Appropriates 85% of revenue from the sales tax on motor fuels to the NITA Capital Improvement Fund, and the remaining 15% to the Downstate Mass Transportation Capital Improvement Fund, beginning July 1, 2026 (Sec. 5d).

• Increases the Regional Transportation Authority sales tax from 0.75% to 1% in Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, and Will Counties, and from 1% to 1.25% in Cook County (Sec. 4.03).

• Appropriates 90% of the interest earned on money in the Road Fund to the NITA Capital Improvement Fund, and the remaining 10% to the Downstate Mass Transportation Capital Improvement Fund, beginning in fiscal year 2027 (Sec. 8.3).

• Increases tolls for passenger vehicles by 45 cents, and tolls on commercial vehicles by 30%, with proportional reductions for reduced fare programs, beginning January 1, 2027 (Sec. 11).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect June 1, 2026 (Sec. 99-99).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes cyclist to yield at stop signs in Illinois.

Highlights:

• Authorizes an individual operating a bicycle approaching a stop sign to proceed through the intersection without stopping at the stop sign if (Sec. 5):

• The individual slows to a reasonable speed; and

• The individual yields the right-of-way to:

• Any pedestrian within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk;

• Other traffic within the intersection; and

• Oncoming traffic poses an immediate hazard during the time the individual is traveling through the intersection.

• Specifies that this does not apply to the following (Sec. 5):

• An intersection with an active railroad grade crossing;

• Individuals under 18 years of age solely operating a bicycle;

• Individuals exiting an alleyway; or

• At a 4-way intersection with only 2 stop signs present. 

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text