This Illinois House Resolution designates the week of September 21 through September 27, 2026, as "See Tracks? Think Train Week" to promote public awareness of railroad safety. The bill cites statistics on highway-rail collisions and fatalities to highlight the need for education regarding the dangers near train tracks and the importance of obeying traffic laws. It encourages citizens to support rail safety initiatives and directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Expresses strong support for the American High Speed Rail Act of 2026 and commends Illinois congressional delegation members for their leadership as original cosponsors of this landmark legislation. Urges the United States Congress to advance and pass the American High Speed Rail Act of 2026 and to ensure that any federal surface transportation reauthorization package includes substantial, dedicated funding for high-speed and higher-speed rail development nationwide. Calls upon the Trump administration to include robust funding for high-speed rail in its federal budget proposals. Affirms support for the ongoing work of the Illinois High Speed Rail Commission and the Illinois Department of Transportation in developing a statewide high-speed rail plan. Recognizes this state-level planning effort represents the kind of serious groundwork that merits strong federal investment.
Creates the Short Line Railroad Modernization Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers that incur qualified railroad expenditures or qualified new rail infrastructure expenditures. Sets forth the amount of the credit and limitations on the amount of the credit that may be awarded. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Creates the Clean Transportation Standard Act. Establishes a clean transportation standard to reduce life cycle carbon intensity of fuels for the ground transportation sector by specified amounts. Provides for related rulemaking and calculations. Provides that the clean transportation standard shall take the form of a credit marketplace monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency. Provides for verification and data privacy requirements for the Agency. Provides for penalties for failing to offset deficits in certain situations, and for penalties for submitting false information. Exempts airline, rail, ocean-going, and military fuel. Provides that the Agency must develop a periodic fuel supply forecast. Establishes findings. Defines terms. Contains other provisions. Effective January 1, 2027.
Creates the Short Line Railroad Modernization Act. Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers that incur qualified railroad expenditures or qualified new rail infrastructure expenditures. Sets forth the amount of the credit and limitations on the amount of the credit that may be awarded. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Transit Innovation, Integration, and Reform Act. Provides that the member appointed to the Committee to represent individuals with disabilities shall either be an individual with a disability or an individual who has demonstrated experience advocating for and advancing the accessibility and transportation needs of individuals with disabilities. Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that one of the members of the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability who lives within the Authority's service area and uses the services provided by the Authority. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that one of the Directors of the Board of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability with expertise in transportation and shall be appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that one of the directors of the Suburban Bus Board shall be the Commissioner of the City of Chicago's Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (rather than appointed by the Mayor of Chicago). Provides that one of the directors of the Commuter Rail Board shall be a person with a disability who uses the services provided by the Commuter Rail Division and appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, and the Commuter Rail Board shall each establish and maintain an ADA Advisory Committee to advise the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, or the Commuter Rail Board on accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as it relates to fixed route and paratransit service.
Amends the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Transit Innovation, Integration, and Reform Act. Provides that the member appointed to the Committee to represent individuals with disabilities shall either be an individual with a disability or an individual who has demonstrated experience advocating for and advancing the accessibility and transportation needs of individuals with disabilities. Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that one of the members of the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability who lives within the Authority's service area and uses the services provided by the Authority. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that one of the Directors of the Board of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability with expertise in transportation and shall be appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that one of the directors of the Suburban Bus Board shall be the Commissioner of the City of Chicago's Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (rather than appointed by the Mayor of Chicago). Provides that one of the directors of the Commuter Rail Board shall be a person with a disability who uses the services provided by the Commuter Rail Division and appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, and the Commuter Rail Board shall each establish and maintain an ADA Advisory Committee to advise the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, or the Commuter Rail Board on accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as it relates to fixed route and paratransit service.
Creates the Passenger Rail Planning Act. Sets forth intercity passenger rail routes serving or originating in the State. Requires the Department of Transportation to incorporate the aspirational frequencies into the Illinois State Rail Plan and the Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan. Authorizes the Department to nominate corridors for inclusion in the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program and enter into memoranda of understanding or other cooperative agreements for each identified interstate corridor to provide for shared data, joint investment prioritization, and aligned performance measures and planning schedules. Requires the Department to include a recurring section titled Progress Toward High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail within each update to the Illinois State Rail Plan and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Requires each Metropolitan Planning Organization in the State to: (1) recognize the target intercity and long-distance passenger rail frequencies; (2) identify relevant rail corridors within or adjacent to the Metropolitan Planning Organization planning area; and (3) include a narrative discussion of how regional transportation investments can support achievement of those frequency targets. Requires the Department and each Metropolitan Planning Organization to consider progress toward the target passenger rail frequencies when developing project prioritization criteria for multimodal investments. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.
Creates the Illinois Railway Safety Act of 2026. Requires a locomotive engineer to be present in the locomotive cab of every train operating on a line and to be capable of taking control of the operation of the train in the event of a safety issue occurring. Requires a locomotive engineer to take full control of the train when a safety issue occurs in order to mitigate the safety issue and any safety risks. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to work with each railroad company to ensure that wayside detector systems are installed and operating along railroad tracks on which the railroad operates and to ensure that specified standards are met. Sets forth investigation and reporting requirements for the Commission and the Department of Transportation if a railroad company refuses to work or otherwise cooperate with the Commission. Sets forth wayside detector system installation distance requirements, waivers, and exemptions. Provides that when a wayside detector system detects a defect, if the message regarding the defect is not immediately sent to the operator, the person that receives the message shall immediately notify the operator of the defect. Requires visual inspections not less than twice a week for all main track designated within the State for operation at class III carrier speeds or higher. Allows the Commission to enforce the Act, which may include civil penalties for a violation of the Act. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if a driver is involved in a collision at a grade crossing resulting in the injury or fatality of a railway worker, that driver shall have the driver's driving privileges suspended for a period of not less than 6 months up to revocation. Prohibits a railroad from operating on any main line or any other line any train which exceeds 8,500 feet in length.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires every rail carrier operating within the State to install, operate, and maintain pedestrian crossing gates at every grade crossing located within 1.5 miles of a school. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall have the authority to (i) determine the number, type, and location of the signs, signals, gates, or other protective devices and (ii) prescribe the division of the cost of the installation and subsequent maintenance of the signs, signals, gates, or other protective devices between the rail carrier or carriers, the public highway authority or other public authority in interest, and, in instances involving the use of the Grade Crossing Protection Fund, the Department of Transportation.
