Illinois Code § 2705-310

§ 2705-310.

Grants for transportation for persons with disabilities. (a) For the purposes of this Section, the following definitions apply: "Carrier" means a district or a not for profit corporation providing mass transportation for persons with disabilities on a regular and continuing basis. "Person with a disability" means any individual who, by reason of illness, injury, age, congenital malfunction, or other permanent or temporary incapacity or disability, is unable without special mass transportation facilities or special planning or design to utilize ordinary mass transportation facilities and services as effectively as persons who are not so affected. "Unit of local government", "district", and "facilities" have the meanings ascribed to them in Section 2705-305. (b) The Department may make grants from the Transportation Fund and the General Revenue Fund (i) to units of local government, districts, and carriers for vehicles, equipment, and the acquisition, construction, extension, reconstruction, and improvement of mass transportation facilities for persons with disabilities and (ii) during State fiscal years 1986 and 1987, to the Regional Transportation Authority for operating assistance for mass transportation for mobility limited persons, including paratransit services for the mobility limited. The grants shall be made upon the terms and conditions that in the judgment of the Secretary are necessary to ensure their proper and effective utilization. The procedures, limitations, and safeguards provided in Section 2705-305 to govern grants for mass transportation shall apply to grants made under this Section. For the efficient administration of grants, the Department, on behalf of grant recipients under this Section and on behalf of recipients receiving funds under Sections 5309 and 5311 of the Federal Transit Act and State funds, may administer and consolidate procurements and may enter into contracts with manufacturers of vehicles and equipment. (c) The Department may make operating assistance grants from the Transportation Fund to those carriers that, during federal fiscal year 1986, directly received operating assistance pursuant to Section 5307 or Section 5311 of the Federal Transit Act, or under contracts with a unit of local government or mass transit district that received operating expenses under Section 5307 or Section 5311 of the Federal Transit Act, to provide public paratransit services to the general mobility limited population. The Secretary shall take into consideration the reduction in federal operating expense grants to carriers when considering the grant applications. The procedures, limitations, and safeguards provided in Section 2705-305 to govern grants for mass transportation shall apply to grants made under this Section. (Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)