SB1388 amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act to require the Regional Transportation Authority, the Commuter Rail Division, the Suburban Bus Division, and the Chicago Transit Authority to create a new fare program by December 31, 2025. The program would provide free rides to riders whose income is below 138% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines. The bill is effective July 1, 2025.
The bill also retains existing provisions governing free and reduced fare services, including the requirement that the Authority share monthly rider information with the Department of Public Health so deceased individuals can be removed from eligibility lists. In practical terms, SB1388 would expand transit affordability policy in the Chicago-area regional transit system and place a new statutory obligation on the RTA and its service boards to design and implement an income-based free-fare program.
Impact
SB1388 would directly amend Section 3.11 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act, adding a mandate for the RTA and its service boards to establish a free-ride program for low-income riders. The affected entities are the RTA, Metra, Pace, and the Chicago Transit Authority, and the affected population is riders earning under 138% of the federal poverty guidelines. The bill would not itself set detailed eligibility procedures or funding mechanisms, but it would require the transit agencies to create the program by a fixed deadline, thereby likely affecting fare policy, administrative systems, and transit subsidy planning.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be framed as a transit affordability and equity proposal aimed at low-income riders. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided materials leaves the overall sentiment indeterminate, though the policy direction suggests a pro-access, pro-rider posture.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be fiscal and administrative rather than definitional. Requiring free rides for riders below 138% of poverty guidelines could raise concerns about lost fare revenue, the need for state or local replacement funding, and the operational burden of verifying income eligibility. Another possible issue is how the program would be implemented consistently across the RTA service boards, including whether the agencies would need to coordinate eligibility verification, enrollment, and fraud prevention. No specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided transcripts or votes.