Illinois – Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act into law, fixing and funding public transit so that all Illinoisans benefit from a coordinated, cost-efficient regional transit service that moves people across the state safely, reliably, and affordably. In response, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC) released the following statement:
“We applaud Governor Pritzker for signing this transformational legislation into law and thank the Governor, State Senator Ram Villivalam, State Representative Eva Dina Delgado, State Representative Kam Buckner, and legislative leaders for their work to not just avert the transit fiscal cliff but truly transform transportation across the state. Because of their leadership, Illinois is making the greatest investment in public transit in Illinois history, and by association, making a significant investment in its people. The NITA Act ensures millions of transit riders can get to work, school, and access healthcare safely and affordably, strengthens rider protections for people with disabilities, boosts funding and support for transit in downstate communities, and decreases air and climate pollution across the state.
“Over the past two years, ICJC proudly advocated for this legislation because transit plays a critical role in our state’s equitable, accessible clean energy future–transit jobs are clean jobs and we cannot reach our climate goals without addressing Illinois’ heavily polluting transportation sector. Through our advocacy efforts, ICJC members delivered over 30,000 petitions to lawmakers, hosted over 30 events to educate lawmakers and the public about the transit crisis, and held 3 Lobby Days this year alone, bringing nearly 900 Illinoisans to the State Capitol to advocate for transformational transit legislation. This victory for the people was powered by people.
“Transit is just one piece of the puzzle. The NITA Act proves that Illinois can pass commonsense legislation that prioritizes clean, affordable, and accessible transportation options. ICJC looks forward to working with legislative champions in the years to come to pass additional legislation that achieves net-zero emissions in the transportation sector by 2050 while improving mobility and accessibility across the state.”
###
