Transportation

Amends the Transportation Article of the School Code. With respect to the provision of free transportation for pupils, allows a school district to pay the public transit fees of pupils instead (rather than providing an exception for pupils for whom the school board certifies to the State Board of Education that adequate transportation for the public is available). Provides that the school board of a school district in cities of over 500,000 inhabitants shall pay the public transit fees of pupils in grades 9 through 12 residing at a distance of one and one-half miles or more from any school to which they are assigned for attendance maintained within the school district. In provisions allowing for free transportation if conditions are such that walking constitutes a serious hazard, removes the provision specifying that such transportation shall not be provided if adequate transportation for the public is available. Makes related changes.

Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority shall establish the CTA Transit Police Department composed solely of sworn law-enforcement officers. Provides that all security functions shall be performed exclusively by officers of the CTA Transit Police Department. Provides that the CTA Transit Police Department shall deploy 3-officer safety teams moving continuously through trains, stations, and buses, with priority given to high-crime locations. Provides that the Authority shall implement a pilot program deploying AI-based weapon-detection scanners in at least 5 and not more than 10 high-crime stations and major bus hubs. Provides that the Authority shall implement a limited facial recognition pilot program restricted to identifying individuals (i) with active violent-felony warrants or (ii) who the Authority has prohibited from accessing services provided by the Authority. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. With regard to automated speed enforcement systems in safety zones, provides that "safety zone" does not include any roadway in which the 30 mile per hour speed limit is decreased by local ordinance without an engineering or traffic investigation. Provides that a local authority or park district shall determine and declare by ordinance a reasonable and safe absolute maximum speed which: decreases the limit within an urban district which shall not require an engineering or traffic investigation to a maximum speed limit of 25 miles per hour, but not less than 20 miles per hour and a maximum speed limit of 10 miles per hour in an alley; increases the limit within an urban district, but not to more than 55 miles per hour, if after increasing the limit within an urban district an engineering or traffic investigation is required to decrease the limit; or decreases the limit within a residence district which shall not require an engineering or traffic investigation to a maximum speed limit of 20 (rather than not to less than 25) miles per hour. Requires a park district, city, village, incorporated town, or county board to post a sign designating the new speed limit. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the use of green oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights on motor vehicles or equipment used by contractors, engineering or survey crews, or union representatives engaged in work on a highway. Provides that such lights shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on a highway.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person who is less than 16 years of age may ride as a passenger on a Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle that is designed to accommodate passengers if the operator is 18 years of age or older.

Declares April 2026 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Urges the citizens and businesses of the State of Illinois to observe Distracted Driving Awareness Month by practicing safe driving behaviors and pledging to drive distraction-free.

Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Act. Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Program, to be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, to provide scholarship assistance until July 1, 2031 to eligible students for engineering-related study at a public university who agree to work as an engineer for the Department of Transportation for a period of not less than 3 years. Allows the Commission to award scholarships to pay the tuition and fees of a student enrolled in an approved program of professional engineering education for the equivalent of 8 semesters or 16 quarters of full-time enrollment. Provides for an additional stipend in an amount not to exceed $10,000. Establishes the total amount of scholarship assistance, the application process, eligibility requirements, and payments and repayments. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act to require the Board of Higher Education to establish and administer a competitive grant program for public institutions of higher education that award degrees in engineering. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2032.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Department of Transportation for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: Other State Funds $5,760,285,739; Federal Funds $14,911,796; Total $5,775,197,535.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Transportation to create an expedited process for municipalities or counties to submit a request for an expedited review for intersections on State roads.

SB 3986 stops a scheduled July 1, 2026 increase to Illinois' motor fuel tax that would have been triggered by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This bill directly affects motor fuel retailers and consumers by preventing a tax hike that would have automatically occurred based on inflation. The key provision amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law to specifically exclude the July 1, 2026 CPI adjustment, effective immediately upon enactment. The change halts an automatic annual tax increase mechanism tied to inflation data.