Expanding the amount of promise scholarship funds awarded to persons majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Shawn Fluharty and 2 co-sponsors

Allocates $575M General Revenue to IDOT for a statewide passenger rail program: plan, build, and operate trains, electrified high-speed line, upgrades, and feeder buses outside Chicago.

To House Education

#education(higher)

Overview / Purpose

HB 3285 is an appropriations bill that directs a total of $575,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to fund a newly described "Statewide Railway Program." The bill funds planning, capital improvements, operations, equipment, staff, and related multimodal connections intended to expand and modernize passenger rail service across Illinois. The bill’s title references an emergency declaration, but the text specifies an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Key provisions (by appropriation)

$70,000,000 — Planning, design, and environmental clearance for a new electrified high‑speed rail line designed for speeds in excess of 186 miles per hour (Statewide Railway Program).

$230,000,000 — Capital improvements to existing railroad lines that host passenger service, construction of new lines or routes. Eligible uses include bridges, track upgrades (to FRA standards), additional mainline tracks, train control systems, electrification/catenary, and modernization of trains.

$100,000,000 — Purchase of modern trains and construction/modernization of maintenance facilities.

$2,000,000 — Salaries and expenses to add professional staff in the Office of Intermodal Project Implementation (rail implementation division).

$100,000,000 — Operation of passenger trains linking communities outside the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) boundaries to Chicago and O'Hare, and operations linking those communities to each other.

$50,000,000 — Maintaining mainline tracks on passenger rail routes at Class 5 or better.

$23,000,000 — Operation of regional buses to connect communities without a rail station and to supplement passenger rail frequency.

Total appropriations equal $575,000,000, all from the General Revenue Fund to IDOT.

Who is affected

Illinois Department of Transportation (implementing agency)

Communities outside RTA boundaries (potential new or expanded rail service)

Regional transit agencies and bus operators (funding for feeder bus service)

Rail carriers and contractors (infrastructure upgrades, electrification, procurement)

State budget/General Revenue Fund (expense of $575 million)

Procedural status & timeline

Introduced / first readings: February 2025 (text indicates introduced 2/18/2025).

Referred through multiple committees (Rules; Trade, Workforce & Economic Development; Appropriations-Public Safety and Infrastructure; Fiscal Impact Subcommittee).

Last recorded status: In committee upon adjournment (6/28/2025).

Effective date in bill: July 1, 2025 (Section 99).

Notes / Potential impacts

The bill focuses on statewide passenger rail expansion and modernization, including one provision for a very high‑speed electrified line.

All funding is through the General Revenue Fund; enactment would require appropriation authority and would have near‑term budget implications.

Title references an emergency declaration, but the bill text sets a delayed effective date rather than an immediate emergency effective date.

Companion legislation: SB 726.

Bill