70 ILCS 3615/1.02: Findings and Purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds;

(1) Public transportation is, as provided in Section 7 of Article XIII of the Illinois Constitution, an essential public purpose for which public funds may be expended and that Section authorizes the State to provide financial assistance to units of local government for distribution to providers of public transportation. There is an urgent need to reform and continue a unit of local government to assure the proper management of public transportation and to receive and distribute State or federal operating assistance and to raise and distribute revenues for local operating assistance. System generated revenues are not adequate for such service and a public need exists to provide for, aid and assist public transportation in the northeastern area of the State, consisting of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties.

(2) Comprehensive and coordinated regional public transportation is essential to the public health, safety, and welfare. It is essential to economic well-being, maintenance of full employment, conservation of sources of energy and land for open space and reduction of traffic congestion and for providing and maintaining a healthful environment for the benefit of present and future generations in the metropolitan region. Public transportation improves access to jobs, commercial facilities, schools, and cultural attractions. Public transportation decreases air pollution and other environmental hazards resulting from excessive use of automobiles and allows for more efficient land use and planning.

(3) Transportation in the metropolitan region is being threatened by grave financial conditions. With existing methods of financing, coordination, structure, and management, the public transportation system is not providing adequate public transportation to ensure the public health, safety, and welfare.

(3.5) The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruption in public transportation ridership and operations from which the service providers have yet to fully recover and the pandemic-related federal funding support for public transportation operations has expired. Although ridership levels continue to improve from the lowest levels observed during the pandemic, net ridership levels have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Furthermore, the system experienced persistent losses in ridership, service quality, and financial stability for many years before the pandemic. These systemic issues, combined with the changes in passenger behaviors, experiences, and commuting patterns since the pandemic, create conditions untenable to a sustainable and thriving public transportation system.

(4) Additional commitments to the public transportation needs of persons with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, and the elderly are necessary. Further, additional commitments to the public transit needs of persons who currently reside in areas with limited, infrequent, or no public transit service are needed to eliminate existing public transit deserts and ensure that all residents of the metropolitan region have access to frequent, reliable, safe, and interconnected transit options.

(5) To solve these problems, it is necessary to provide for the creation and empowerment of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority with the powers necessary to insure adequate public transportation.

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(d) It is the purpose of this Act to provide for, aid and assist public transportation in the northeastern area of the State without impairing the overall quality of existing public transportation by providing for the creation of a single authority responsive to the people and elected officials of the area and with the power and competence to develop, implement, and enforce plans that promote adequate, efficient, geographically equitable and coordinated public transportation, provide financial review of the providers of public transportation in the metropolitan region and facilitate public transportation provided by Service Boards which is attractive and economical to users, comprehensive, coordinated among its various elements, economical, safe, efficient and coordinated with area and State plans.

(e) It is the intent of this Act to continue and maintain the existence of the Regional Transportation Authority, notwithstanding a change in its name and appointment powers and authorities, and is in no way intended to change, modify, or restrict the rights of existing Regional Transportation Authority bondholders or to change or repeal the non-impairment covenant in the current Regional Transportation Authority legislation.