The Illinois General Assembly's two-week veto session adjourned the first week of December.  Despite minimal activity, lawmakers overturned several of the Governor's vetoes and passed additional legislation.  This Policy Update describes legislative initiatives that affect CMAP's 2014 State Legislative Framework and Agenda or are of interest to CMAP and its partners.

Invest Strategically in Transportation

HB1022 will create a 14-member task force to study sustainable revenues for transportation infrastructure.  The group will examine strategies to address the declining revenues and purchasing power of existing sources.  The state's primary source of transportation revenue, the motor fuel tax (MFT), has declined since 2007.  At the same time, the tax rate has not increased since 1990, inhibiting the state's ability to keep up with inflation and the increasing costs of construction.  CMAP's projections indicate that the MFT, along with other state and local revenues used for transportation (such as vehicle registration fees, tolls, and transit fares), will be narrowly sufficient to maintain the existing system and preclude any significant modernization or expansion projects. The task force will explore strategies to identify funding that will provide adequate and sustainable revenues to invest in a key driver of the State's economy, its infrastructure.

HB5878 will enable transit agencies to increase the minimum threshold for routine procurements from $10,000 to $40,000.  Procurements are still subject to relevant federal regulations requiring competitive bidding and negotiations.

Legislators overturned the veto of SB2015. The bill will allow the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to raise the speed limit to 70 m.p.h. in the Chicago region.

Pursue Coordinated Investments

SB1842 will permit a Local Mass Transit district to discontinue the district by ordinance or resolution if its board determines that there is no longer a need for its existence or services. 

Improve Access to Information

Governor Quinn's veto of the HB3796, a bill regarding voluminous Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, was overturned.  The bill allows public bodies to impose a fee of up to $100 for requests of duplication of records totaling more than 500 pages.  The measure exempts the news media and non-profit or academic organizations from the fee.

Adjournment

The House adjourned sine die, indicating that it will not reconvene for a "lame duck" session; the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, January 13, 2015.