Illinois — Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act into law, investing $1.5 billion annually in public transit and ensuring all Illinoisans have access to safe, reliable, and affordable transit for generations to come. In response, IEC Sr. Legislative Relations Director Dany Robles released the following statement:
“Thanks to Governor JB Pritzker, State Senator Ram Villivalam, State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado, and other leaders in the General Assembly, Illinois is once again stepping up to protect everyday people, our communities, and our climate. While federal leaders are dismantling climate policy and threatening to pull funding and support for public transit, Governor Pritzker and legislative champions are stepping up to offer commonsense policy solutions that will make transit safer, ensure equitable access to transportation for all communities, and curb air and climate pollution. Transportation pollution is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Illinois, and ensuring our transit system is robust and reliable will keep Illinois moving toward our climate goals.
“IEC was proud to work with our partners in the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition to show lawmakers in the General Assembly that transit is essential for the millions of riders who use the system daily, the thousands of workers who get those riders safely from point A to B, the region’s economic vitality, and for community health. We have more work ahead to fully electrify Illinois’ transportation sector and ensure all Illinoisans have access to active modes of transportation, but for today, we are grateful that leaders heeded our call to action and public transit is on (an even smoother) track.”