SB2886 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 20825 LRD 46750 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB2886

Introduced 2/6/2004, by Denny Jacobs

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

40 ILCS 5/7-142.1	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-142.1
40 ILCS 5/7-156	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-156
40 ILCS 5/7-169	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-169
40 ILCS 5/7-173.1	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-173.1
30 ILCS 805/8.28 new

Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows a sheriff's law enforcement employee (SLEP) to convert up to 10 years of non-SLEP service credit into SLEP credit by paying the difference in employee and employer contributions, plus interest. Increases the SLEP retirement formula to 2.5% of the final rate of earnings for each year of SLEP service. Increases the maximum pension payable to a SLEP from 75% to 80% of the final rate of earnings. Removes the 2-year service requirement for earning new benefits after a return to service as a SLEP. Increases the additional employee contribution paid by SLEPs to 2.5% of salary. Also eliminates the reduction in benefit imposed on a surviving spouse who is more than 5 years younger than the deceased member, for the surviving spouse of any member who dies on or after the effective date. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

PENSION IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

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 7-142.1, 7-156, 7-169, and 7-173.1 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/7-142.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-142.1)

Sec. 7-142.1. Sheriff's law enforcement employees.

(a) In lieu of the retirement annuity provided by subparagraph 1 of paragraph (a) of Section 7-142:

Any sheriff's law enforcement employee who has 20 or more years of service in that capacity and who terminates service prior to January 1, 1988 shall be entitled at his option to receive a monthly retirement annuity for his service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee computed by multiplying 2% for each year of such service up to 10 years, 2 1/4% for each year of such service above 10 years and up to 20 years, and 2 1/2% for each year of such service above 20 years, by his annual final rate of earnings and dividing by 12.

Any sheriff's law enforcement employee who has 20 or more years of service in that capacity and who terminates service on or after January 1, 1988 and before July 1, 2004 shall be entitled at his option to receive a monthly retirement annuity for his service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee computed by multiplying 2.5% for each year of such service up to 20 years, 2% for each year of such service above 20 years and up to 30 years, and 1% for each year of such service above 30 years, by his annual final rate of earnings and dividing by 12.

Any sheriff's law enforcement employee who has 20 or more years of service in that capacity and who terminates service on or after July 1, 2004 shall be entitled at his or her option to receive a monthly retirement annuity for service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee computed by multiplying 2.5% for each year of such service by his annual final rate of earnings and dividing by 12.

If a sheriff's law enforcement employee has service in any other capacity, his retirement annuity for service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee may be computed under this Section and the retirement annuity for his other service under Section 7-142.

In no case shall the total monthly retirement annuity for persons who retire before July, 1, 2004 exceed 75% of the monthly final rate of earnings. In no case shall the total monthly retirement annuity for persons who retire on or after July 1, 2004 exceed 80% of the monthly final rate of earnings.

(b) Whenever continued group insurance coverage is elected in accordance with the provisions of Section 367h of the Illinois Insurance Code, as now or hereafter amended, the total monthly premium for such continued group insurance coverage or such portion thereof as is not paid by the municipality shall, upon request of the person electing such continued group insurance coverage, be deducted from any monthly pension benefit otherwise payable to such person pursuant to this Section, to be remitted by the Fund to the insurance company or other entity providing the group insurance coverage.

(c) A sheriff's law enforcement employee who has service in any other capacity may convert up to 10 years of that service into service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee by paying to the Fund an amount equal to (1) the additional employee contribution required under Section 7-173.1, (2) the additional employer contribution required under Section 7-172, plus (3) interest on those contributions at the prescribed rate from the date of the service to the date of payment.

(Source: P.A. 85-941.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-156) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-156)

Sec. 7-156. Surviving spouse annuities - amount.

(a) The amount of surviving spouse annuity shall be:

1. Upon the death of an employee annuitant or such person entitled, upon application, to a retirement annuity at date of death, (i) an amount equal to 1/2 of the retirement annuity which was or would have been payable exclusive of the amount so payable which was provided from additional credits, and disregarding any election made under paragraph (b) of Section 7-142, plus (ii) an annuity which could be provided at the then attained age of the surviving spouse and under actuarial tables then in effect, from the excess of the additional credits, (excluding any such credits used to create a reversionary annuity) used to provide the annuity granted pursuant to paragraph (a) (2) of Section 7-142 of this article over the total annuity payments made pursuant thereto.

2. Upon the death of a participating employee on or after attainment of age 55, an amount equal to 1/2 of the retirement annuity which he could have had as of the date of death had he then retired and applied for annuity, exclusive of the portion thereof which could have been provided from additional credits, and disregarding paragraph (b) of Section 7-142, plus an amount equal to the annuity which could be provided from the total of his accumulated additional credits at date of death, on the basis of the attained age of the surviving spouse on such date.

3. Upon the death of a participating employee before age 55, an amount equal to 1/2 of the retirement annuity which he could have had as of his attained age on the date of death, had he then retired and applied for annuity, and the provisions of this Article that no such annuity shall begin until the employee has attained at least age 55 were not applicable, exclusive of the portion thereof which could have been provided from additional credits and disregarding paragraph (b) of Section 7-142, plus an amount equal to the annuity which could be provided from the total of his accumulated additional credits at date of death, on the basis of the attained age of the surviving spouse on such date.

In the case of the surviving spouse of a person who dies before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, if the a surviving spouse is more than 5 years younger than the deceased, that portion of the annuity which is not based on additional credits shall be reduced in the ratio of the value of a life annuity of $1 per year at an age of 5 years less than the attained age of the deceased, at the earlier of the date of the death or the date his retirement annuity begins, to the value of a life annuity of $1 per year at the attained age of the surviving spouse on such date, according to actuarial tables approved by the Board. This reduction does not apply to the surviving spouse of a person who dies on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

In computing the amount of a surviving spouse annuity, incremental increases of retirement annuities to the date of death of the employee annuitant shall be considered.

(b) Each surviving spouse annuity payable on January 1, 1988 shall be increased on that date by 3% of the original amount of the annuity. Each surviving spouse annuity that begins after January 1, 1988 shall be increased on the January 1 next occurring after the annuity begins, by an amount equal to (i) 3% of the original amount thereof if the deceased employee was receiving a retirement annuity at the time of his death; otherwise (ii) 0.167% of the original amount thereof for each complete month which has elapsed since the date the annuity began.

On each January 1 after the date of the initial increase under this subsection, each surviving spouse annuity shall be increased by 3% of the originally granted amount of the annuity.

(Source: P.A. 85-941.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-169) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-169)

Sec. 7-169. Separation benefits; repayments. If an employee who has received a separation benefit subsequently becomes a participating employee, and renders at least 2 years of contributing service from the date of such re-entry, he may pay to the fund the amount of the separation benefit, plus interest at the effective rate for each year from the date of payment of the separation benefit to the date of repayment. Upon payment his creditable service shall be reinstated and the payment shall be credited to his account as normal contributions. Beginning July 1, 2004, the requirement of returning to service for at least 2 years does not apply to persons who return to service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee.

(Source: P.A. 84-1028.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-173.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-173.1)

Sec. 7-173.1. Additional contribution by sheriff's law enforcement employees.

(a) Each sheriff's law enforcement employee shall make an additional contribution of 1% of earnings, which shall be considered as normal contributions. For earnings on or after July 1, 1988, the additional contribution shall be 2% of earnings. For earnings on or after July 1, 2004, the additional contribution shall be 2.5% of earnings; this increase is intended to defray the employee's portion of the cost of the benefit increases provided by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

This additional contribution shall be payable for retroactive service periods which the employee elects to establish and to periods of authorized leave of absence.

(b) If the employee is awarded a retirement annuity under Section 7-142 and not under Section 7-142.1, then the additional contribution required under this Section shall be refunded with interest or paid as provided in subsection (c). If the employee returns to a participating status as a sheriff's law enforcement employee, the employee may repay the amount refunded with interest and upon subsequent retirement be entitled to a recomputation of the retirement annuity under Section 7-142.1 if the total service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee meets the requirements of that Section.

(c) Instead of a refund under subsection (b), the retiring employee may elect to convert the amount of the refund into an annuity, payable separately from the retirement annuity. If the annuitant dies before the guaranteed amount has been distributed, the remainder shall be paid in a lump sum to the designated beneficiary of the annuitant. The Board shall adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this subsection.

(Source: P.A. 90-766, eff. 8-14-98.)

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.