HJ0021

LRB094 11320 AMC 42146 r






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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Social Security Trust Fund is expected to have 
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insufficient funds to meet its obligations by 2042; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The United States Congress, as part of its efforts 
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to address the financial crisis confronting the Social Security 
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system, is considering a proposal mandating Social Security 
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coverage for public employees, including public employees in 
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Illinois who presently do not participate in the Social 
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Security system; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Illinois' State and local government employee 
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pension plans cover over 375,000 different State and local 
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government employees, including employees of school districts, 
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police officers, firefighters, faculty at institutions of 
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higher education, and employees of municipalities, as well as 
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thousands of benefit recipients; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Illinois' State and local government employee 
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pension plans have been carefully developed with the 
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cooperation of the Illinois General Assembly, employers, and 
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employees to meet the unique needs of such public employees at 
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a reasonable cost; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Illinois' public pension plans offer benefits 
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that are designed to address the physical demands and high 
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risks inherent in public safety work and that are not available 
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through the federal Social Security system, including lower 
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retirement ages and comprehensive death and disability 
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benefits; and

 
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    WHEREAS, It is anticipated that federal legislation will be 
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introduced that would include a requirement that state and 
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local government employees hired after a certain date 
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participate in the federal Social Security system; and

 
 


 






HJ0021
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LRB094 11320 AMC 42146 r




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    WHEREAS, Preliminary estimates indicate a statewide cost 
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of over $2 billion if participation in the federal Social 
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Security system is mandated for Illinois' State and local 
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government employees, which would result in a sharp decline of 
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benefits and a reduction in education programs and services; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, A federal mandate that Illinois' State and local 
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government employees participate in the federal Social 
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Security system may not only threaten the integrity of the 
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existing pension plans for the employees, but it may also 
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affect the safety and general welfare of the citizens of 
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Illinois; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the United States 
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Congress to preserve the right of state and local governments 
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to operate pension plans for their employees in place of the 
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federal Social Security system and develop legislation for 
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responsible reform of the federal Social Security system that 
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does not include mandatory participation by employees of state 
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and local governments; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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delivered to the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the 
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Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each member 
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of the Illinois congressional delegation.