093_HB0492

                                     LRB093 03956 EFG 03995 b

 1        AN ACT in relation to public employee benefits.

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

 4        Section  5.   The  Illinois  Pension  Code  is amended by
 5    changing Section 6-222 as follows:

 6        (40 ILCS 5/6-222) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-222)
 7        Sec. 6-222.  Administrative review.
 8        (a)  The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and
 9    all  amendments  and  modifications  thereof  and  the  rules
10    adopted pursuant  thereto  shall  apply  to  and  govern  all
11    proceedings  for  the judicial review of final administrative
12    decisions  of  the  retirement  board  hereunder.  The   term
13    "administrative  decision"  is as defined in Section 3-101 of
14    the Code of Civil Procedure.
15        (b)  If any fireman whose application for either  a  duty
16    disability benefit under Section 6-151 or for an occupational
17    disease  disability  benefit  under  Section 6-151.1 has been
18    denied  by  the  Retirement  Board  brings  an   action   for
19    administrative  review  challenging  the denial of disability
20    benefits  and  the  fireman  prevails  in   the   action   in
21    administrative  review,  then the prevailing fireman shall be
22    entitled to recover from the Fund court costs and  litigation
23    expenses,  including  reasonable  attorney's fees, as part of
24    the costs of the action.
25    (Source: P.A. 82-783.)

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