Session adjourned!

Couple more legislative measures here:

• extending some expiring legislative provisions;
• raising the income thresholds for low-income senior tax freezes so they don't get kicked off when Social Security goes up;
• using some race-neutral language to protect scholarships from anti-DEI purges.

Really can't overstate how much of a BFD this is. It was very touch-and-go this week. But this is a generational investment that's going to transform mass transit in the whole region. Delgado, Buckner, and many others have poured hundreds of hours in. And advocates have been absolutely tireless.

Delgado closing. "Transit isn't just tracks and trains and buses, it's people."

And it passes! On to the Senate!

Leader Buckner, who's co-led this effort with Leader Delgado, is recognized as the final speaker.

"This isn't just a transportation bill, this is a transformation bill."

We've legislated separately on structure, then on funding, then on governance. This time we're fixing all three.

Rep Halbrook complaining that the bill contains "really really hard math with big numbers."

Rep Cabello seems to insinuate that if we don't allow ICE enforcement on Metra trains, we'll lose federal funding for transit. This is the hour we've reached.

The debate stretches on. From the chair, Leader West institutes a 3 minute timer.

I did not approve this message. It's 1:30am y'all. And yes I'm known to love candy corn.

Rep Syed Takeover: Leader Guzzardi is preoccupied with eating candy corn 🍬🌽

Rep Ugaste objecting to raising tolls on highways while not raising fares on transit riders. This is a thing I happen to be extremely fine with.

Leader Spain objecting to taking sales tax dollars on gas for transit instead of sending the money to a road construction fund.

CONTEXT: That fund has around $4 billion just sitting in a bank account, and IDOT actually can't spend the money as fast as it's coming in.

A funny moment in the run-up to the bill: Leader Delgado had to do some procedural business before calling the bill. She began her speech twice — "today we stand at a turning point" — and was interrupted for the adoption of amendments. Now she's off and running. "Today we stand at a turning point."

Ok and now we’re on to transit!!

Ok and now we’re on to transit!!

The bill passes, 75-32. Loud cheering in the gallery.

Many very passionate and personal stories. Rep Huynh talks about growing up in authoritarian Vietnam. Rep Johnson talks about his wife's great-grandmother crossing the Rio Grande. Rep Jimenez describes her son's school sending alerts this morning that immigration activity was happening nearby.

Leader Avelar, one of the top voices on this issue, tells the story of a young man jumped by feds, who fainted, fell, hit his head, and landed in a coma. She says the healthcare provisions of the bill will make sure he can recover without fear of being kidnapped.

Sorry transit fans, you'll have to wait a little longer. Speaker Welch is presenting our response to Operation Midway Blitz.

The bill will protect people from immigration actions at sensitive places like hospitals, daycares, & courthouses. And it will allow agents to be sued if they break the law