HB0378enr 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0378 Enrolled LRB093 03957 EFG 03996 b

AN ACT in relation to public employee benefits.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing Sections 6-142 and 6-210.1 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/6-142) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-142)

Sec. 6-142. Wives and widows not entitled to annuities.

(A) Except as provided in subsection (B), the following wives or widows have no right to annuity from the fund:

(a) A wife or widow married subsequent to the effective date of a fireman who dies in service if she was not married to him before he attained age 63;

(b) A wife or widow of a fireman who withdraws, whether or not he enters upon annuity, and dies while out of service, if the marriage occurred after the effective date and she was not his wife while he was in service and before he attained age 63;

(c) A wife or widow of a fireman who (1) has served 10 or more years, (2) dies out of service after he has withdrawn from service, and (3) has withdrawn or applied for refund of the sums to his credit for annuity to which he had a right to refund;

(d) A wife or widow of a fireman who dies out of service after he has withdrawn before age 63, and who has not served at least 10 years;

(e) A wife whose marriage was dissolved or widow of a fireman whose judgment of dissolution of marriage from her fireman husband is annulled, vacated or set aside by proceedings in court subsequent to the death of the fireman, unless (1) such proceedings are filed within 5 years after the date of the dissolution of marriage and within one year after the death of the fireman and (2) the board is made a party to the proceedings;

(f) A wife or widow who married the fireman while he was in receipt of disability benefit or disability pension from this fund, unless he returned to the service subsequent to the marriage and remained therein for a period or periods aggregating one year, or died while in service.

(B) Beginning on January 16, 2004 the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the limitation on marriage after withdrawal under subdivision (A)(b) and the limitation on marriage during disability under subdivision (A)(f) no longer apply to a widow who was married to the deceased fireman before the fireman begins to receive a retirement annuity and for at least one year immediately preceding the date of death, regardless of whether the deceased fireman is in service on or after the effective date of Public Act 93-654 or this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly; except that this subsection (B) does not apply to the widow of a fireman who received a refund of contributions for widow's annuity under Section 6-160, unless the refund is repaid to the Fund, with interest at the rate of 4% per year, compounded annually, from the date of the refund to the date of repayment.

If the widow of a fireman who died before January 16, 2004 the effective date of this amendatory Act becomes eligible for a widow's annuity because of Public Act 93-654 this amendatory Act, the annuity shall begin to accrue on the date of application for the annuity, but in no event sooner than January 16, 2004 the effective date of this amendatory Act.

The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly apply without regard to whether the deceased fireman was in service on or after its effective date. If the widow of a fireman who died before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly becomes eligible for a widow's annuity because of this amendatory Act, the annuity shall begin to accrue on the date of application for the annuity, but in no event sooner than January 16, 2004.

(Source: P.A. 93-654, eff. 1-16-04.)

(40 ILCS 5/6-210.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-210.1)

Sec. 6-210.1. Credit for former employment with the fire department.

(a) Any fireman who (1) accumulated service credit in the Article 8 fund for service as an employee of the Chicago Fire Department and (2) has terminated that Article 8 service credit and received a refund of contributions therefor, may establish service credit in this Fund for all or any part of that period of service under the Article 8 fund by making written application to the Board by January 1, 2005 2000 and paying to this Fund (i) employee contributions based upon the actual salary received and the rates in effect for members of this Fund at the time of such service, plus (ii) interest thereon calculated as follows:

(1) For applications received by the Board before July 14, 1995, interest shall be calculated on the amount of employee contributions determined under item (i) above, at the rate of 4% per annum, compounded annually, from the date of termination of such service to the date of payment.

(2) For applications received by the Board on or after July 14, 1995, interest shall be calculated on the amount of employee contributions determined under item (i) above, at the rate of 4% per annum, compounded annually, from the first date of the period for which credit is being established under this subsection (a) to the date of payment.

A fireman who (1) retired on or after January 16, 2004 and on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and (2) files an application to establish service credit under this subsection (a) before January 1, 2005, shall have his or her pension recalculated prospectively to include the service credit established under this subsection (a).

(b) A fireman who, at any time during the period 1970 through 1983, was an employee of the Chicago Fire Department but did not participate in any pension fund subject to this Code with respect to that employment may establish service credit in this Fund for all or any part of that employment by making written application to the Board by January 1, 2005 and paying to this Fund (i) employee contributions based upon the actual salary received and the rates in effect for members of this Fund at the time of that employment, plus (ii) interest thereon calculated at the rate of 4% per annum, compounded annually, from the first date of the employment for which credit is being established under this subsection (b) to the date of payment.

(c) A fireman may pay the contributions required for service credit under this Section established on or after July 14, 1995 in the form of payroll deductions, in accordance with such procedures and limitations as may be established by Board rule and any applicable rules or ordinances of the employer.

(d) Employer contributions shall be transferred as provided in Sections 6-210.2 and 8-172.1. The employer shall not be responsible for making any additional employer contributions for any credit established under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 93-654, eff. 1-16-04.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.28 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.28 new)

Sec. 8.28. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.