104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB4070
 
Introduced 2/24/2026, by Sen. Willie Preston
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
70 ILCS 3605/27b new
    Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority shall establish the CTA Transit Police Department composed solely of sworn law-enforcement officers. Provides that all security functions shall be performed exclusively by officers of the CTA Transit Police Department. Provides that the CTA Transit Police Department shall deploy 3-officer safety teams moving continuously through trains, stations, and buses, with priority given to high-crime locations. Provides that the Authority shall implement a pilot program deploying AI-based weapon-detection scanners in at least 5 and not more than 10 high-crime stations and major bus hubs. Provides that the Authority shall implement a limited facial recognition pilot program restricted to identifying individuals (i) with active violent-felony warrants or (ii) who the Authority has prohibited from accessing services provided by the Authority. Effective immediately.


LRB104 20798 RTM 34316 b

 
 
A BILL FOR
 
SB4070LRB104 20798 RTM 34316 b

1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Findings and purpose. 
5    (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that:
6        (1) The Chicago Transit Authority is the 
7    second-largest public transit agency in the United States 
8    and operates a 24-hour rail and bus system serving 
9    hundreds of thousands of riders daily.
10        (2) The Chicago Transit Authority currently uses 
11    AI-assisted gun-detecting camera software that is 
12    primarily reactive and insufficient as a standalone 
13    prevention measure.
14    (b) The purpose of this Act is to reduce violence on 
15Chicago Transit Authority trains and buses, restore public 
16confidence in transit safety, and establish a layered security 
17approach through a dedicated CTA Transit Police Department and 
18modern safety technologies.
 
19    Section 5. The Metropolitan Transit Authority Act is 
20amended by adding Section 27b as follows:
 
21    (70 ILCS 3605/27b new)
22    Sec. 27b. CTA transit police department.
 
 
SB4070- 2 -LRB104 20798 RTM 34316 b

1    (a) The Authority shall establish the CTA Transit Police 
2Department composed solely of sworn law-enforcement officers. 
3All security functions shall be performed exclusively by 
4officers of the CTA Transit Police Department. The CTA Transit 
5Police Department shall deploy 3-officer safety teams moving 
6continuously through trains, stations, and buses, with 
7priority given to high-crime locations.
8    (b) The Authority shall implement a pilot program 
9deploying AI-based weapon-detection scanners in at least 5 and 
10not more than 10 high-crime stations and major bus hubs.
11    (c) The Authority shall implement a limited facial 
12recognition pilot program restricted to identifying 
13individuals (i) with active violent-felony warrants or (ii) 
14who the Authority has prohibited from accessing services 
15provided by the Authority. 
 
16    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
17becoming law.