Gov't Relations Corner: Safe Roads Amendment Passes

Illinois building road contractors, business associations, and trades unions are celebrating a constitutional change approved by voters Nov. 8 that prohibits lawmakers from using transportation tax revenue to fund other governmental priorities.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the Illinois Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox constitutional amendment, also referred to as the "Safe Roads Amendment." The state Board of Elections reported the amendment received support from nearly 3.7 million voters, 78.9 percent of the electorate.

The proposal required support from at least 60 percent of the electorate to be added to the Illinois Constitution.

The Safe Roads Amendment adds language to the Revenue Article of the Illinois Constitution specifying that motor fuel taxes and other taxes, fees, excises or license taxes derived from transportation-related revenue programs must be expended exclusively for transportation infrastructure construction and maintenance activities.

Voters in Maryland and Wisconsin approved similar lockbox proposals in 2014, and California voters approved a ballot initiative creating transportation lockboxes at the local level in 2010.