HB0545 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 05284 AMC 25362 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB0545

Introduced 2/1/2007, by Rep. Mary E. Flowers

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

40 ILCS 5/9-121.16
40 ILCS 5/9-121.17 new
40 ILCS 5/9-121.18 new
40 ILCS 5/9-134.2	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 9-134.2
40 ILCS 5/9-134.3
40 ILCS 5/9-134.4
30 ILCS 805/8.31 new

Amends the Cook County Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Creates an alternative retirement annuity and survivor's benefit for sworn sheriff's personnel. 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 concerning 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 9-121.16, 9-134.2, 9-134.3, and 9-134.4 and adding Sections 9-121.17 and 9-121.18 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/9-121.16)

Sec. 9-121.16. Contractual service to the Retirement Board. A person who has rendered continuous contractual services (other than legal or actuarial services) to the Retirement Board for a period of at least 5 years may establish creditable service in the Fund for up to 10 years of those services by making written application to the Board before July 1, 2003 and paying to the Fund an amount to be determined by the Board, equal to the employee contributions that would have been required if those services had been performed as an employee.

For the purposes of calculating the required payment, the Board may determine the applicable salary equivalent based on the compensation received by the person for performing those contractual services. The salary equivalent calculated under this Section shall not be used for determining final average salary under Section 9-134 or any other provisions of this Code.

A person may not make optional contributions under Section 9-121.6, 9-121.17, or 9-179.3 for periods of credit established under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 92-599, eff. 6-28-02.)

(40 ILCS 5/9-121.17 new)

Sec. 9-121.17. Alternative annuity for sworn sheriff's personnel.

(a) Any person employed as sworn sheriff's personnel may elect to establish alternative credits for an alternative annuity by electing in writing to make additional optional contributions in accordance with this Section and procedures established by the board. Such sworn sheriff's personnel may discontinue making the additional optional contributions by notifying the Fund in writing in accordance with this Section and procedures established by the board.

Additional optional contributions for the alternative annuity shall be as follows:

(1) For service after the option is elected, an additional contribution of 3% of salary shall be contributed to the Fund on the same basis and under the same conditions as contributions required under Sections 9-170 and 9-176.

(2) For service before the option is elected, an additional contribution of 3% of the salary for the applicable period of service, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of service to the date of payment. All payments for past service must be paid in full before credit is given. No additional optional contributions may be made for any period of service for which credit has been previously forfeited by acceptance of a refund, unless the refund is repaid in full with interest at the effective rate from the date of refund to the date of repayment.

(b) In lieu of the retirement annuity otherwise payable under this Article, any sworn sheriff's personnel who (1) has elected to make additional optional contributions in accordance with this Section, and (2) has attained age 50 with at least 10 years of service credit, or has attained age 55 with at least 8 years of service credit, may elect to have his retirement annuity computed as follows: 3% of the participant's salary at the time of termination of service for each of the first 8 years of service credit, plus 4% of such salary for each of the next 4 years of service credit, plus 5% of such salary for each year of service credit in excess of 12 years, subject to a maximum of 80% of such salary. To the extent such sworn sheriff's personnel has made additional optional contributions with respect to only a portion of his or her years of service credit, his or her retirement annuity will first be determined in accordance with this Section to the extent such additional optional contributions were made, and then in accordance with the remaining Sections of this Article to the extent of years of service credit with respect to which additional optional contributions were not made.

(c) In lieu of the disability benefits otherwise payable under this Article, any sworn sheriff's personnel who (1) has become permanently disabled and as a consequence is unable to perform the duties of his or her employment and (2) was making optional contributions in accordance with this Section at the time the disability was incurred, may elect to receive a disability annuity calculated in accordance with the formula in subsection (b). For the purposes of this subsection, such sworn sheriff's personnel shall be considered permanently disabled only if: (i) disability occurs while in service as sworn sheriff's personnel and is of such a nature as to prevent him or her from reasonably performing the duties of his or her employment at the time; and (ii) the board has received a written certification by at least 2 licensed physicians appointed by it stating that the sworn sheriff's personnel is disabled and that the disability is likely to be permanent.

(d) Refunds of additional optional contributions shall be made on the same basis and under the same conditions as provided under Section 9-164, 9-166, and 9-167. Interest shall be credited at the effective rate on the same basis and under the same conditions as for other contributions. Optional contributions made by sworn sheriff's personnel shall be accounted for in a separate Cook County Sworn Sheriff's Personnel Optional Contribution Reserve. Optional contributions under this Section shall be included in the amount of employee contributions used to compute the tax levy under Section 9-169.

(e) The effective date of this plan of optional alternative benefits and contributions shall be January 1, 2008, or the date upon which approval is received from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, whichever is later. The plan of optional alternative benefits and contributions shall not be available to any former sworn sheriff's personnel receiving an annuity from the Fund on the effective date of the plan, unless he or she re-enters service as sworn sheriff's personnel and renders at least 3 years of additional service after the date of re-entry.

(40 ILCS 5/9-121.18 new)

Sec. 9-121.18. Alternative survivor's benefits for survivors of sworn sheriff's personnel. In lieu of the survivor's benefits otherwise payable under this Article, the spouse or eligible child of any deceased sworn sheriff's personnel who was either making additional optional contributions in accordance with Section 9-121.17 on the date of death, or was receiving an annuity calculated under that Section at the time of death, may elect to receive an annuity beginning on the date of death of the sworn sheriff's personnel, provided that the spouse and sworn sheriff's personnel must have been married on the date of the last termination of his or her service as sworn sheriff's personnel and for a continuous period of at least one year immediately preceding his or her death.

The annuity shall be payable beginning on the date of death of the sworn sheriff's personnel if the spouse is then age 50 or over, or beginning at age 50 if the age of the spouse is less than age 50. If an unmarried child or children of the sworn sheriff's personnel under age 18 also survive, and the child or children are under the care of the eligible spouse, the annuity shall begin as of the date of death of the sworn sheriff's personnel without regard to the spouse's age.

The annuity to a spouse shall be 66 2/3% of the amount of retirement annuity earned by the sworn sheriff's personnel on the date of death, subject to a minimum payment of 10% of salary, provided that, if an eligible spouse, regardless of age, has in his or her care at the date of death of the sworn sheriff's personnel any unmarried child or children of the sworn sheriff's personnel under age 18, the minimum annuity shall be 30% of the salary of the sworn sheriff's personnel, plus 10% of salary on account of each minor child of the sworn sheriff's personnel, subject to a combined total payment on account of a spouse and minor children not to exceed 50% of the salary of the deceased sworn sheriff's personnel. In the event there is no spouse of the sworn sheriff's personnel, or should a spouse remarry or die while eligible minor children still survive the sworn sheriff's personnel, each such child shall be entitled to an annuity equal to 20% of salary of the sworn sheriff's personnel subject to a combined total payment on account of all such children not to exceed 50% of salary of the sworn sheriff's personnel. The salary to be used in the calculation of these benefits shall be the same as that prescribed for determining a retirement annuity as provided in Section 9-121.17.

Upon the death of sworn sheriff's personnel occurring after termination of service or while in receipt of a retirement annuity, the combined total payment to a spouse and minor children, or to minor children alone if no eligible spouse survives, shall be limited to 75% of the amount of retirement annuity earned by the sworn sheriff's personnel.

Adopted children shall have status as children of the sworn sheriff's personnel only if the proceedings for adoption were commenced at least one year prior to the date of the death of the sworn sheriff's personnel.

Marriage of a child or attainment of age 18, whichever first occurs, shall render the child ineligible for further consideration in the payment of an annuity to a spouse or in the increase in the amount thereof. Upon attainment of ineligibility of the youngest minor child of the sworn sheriff's personnel, the annuity shall immediately revert to the amount payable upon death of sworn sheriff's personnel leaving no minor children surviving him or her. If the spouse is under age 50 at such time, the annuity as revised shall be deferred until such age is attained. Remarriage of a widow or widower prior to attainment of age 55 shall disqualify the spouse from the receipt of an annuity.

(40 ILCS 5/9-134.2) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 9-134.2)

Sec. 9-134.2. Early retirement incentives.

(a) To be eligible for the benefits provided in this Section, a person must:

(1) be a current contributing member of this Fund who, on May 1, 1992 and within 30 days prior to the date of retirement, is (i) in active payroll status in a position of employment under this Article, or (ii) receiving disability benefits under Section 9-156 or 9-157;

(2) have not previously retired under this Article;

(3) file with the Board before May 1, 1993, a written application requesting the benefits provided in this Section;

(4) elect to retire under this Section on or after December 1, 1992 and on or before May 29, 1993 (or the date established under subsection (c), if applicable);

(5) have attained age 55 on or before the date of retirement; and

(6) have at least 10 years of creditable service under this Fund or any of the participating systems under the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act by the effective date of the retirement annuity.

(b) An employee who qualifies for the benefits provided under this Section shall be entitled to the following:

(1) The employee's retirement annuity, as calculated under the other provisions of this Article, shall be increased at the time of retirement by an amount equal to 1% of the employee's average annual salary for the highest 4 consecutive years within the last 10 years of service, multiplied by the employee's number of years of service credit in this Fund up to a maximum of 10 years; except that the total retirement annuity, including any additional benefits elected under Section 9-121.6, 9-121.17, or 9-179.3, shall not exceed 80% of that highest average annual salary.

(2) If the employee's retirement annuity is calculated under Section 9-134, the employee shall not be subject to the reduction in retirement annuity because of retirement below age 60 that is otherwise required under that Section.

(c) In the case of an employee whose immediate retirement could jeopardize public safety or create hardship for the employer, the deadline for retirement provided in subdivision (a)(4) of this Section may be extended to a specified date, no later than November 30, 1993, by the employee's department head, with the approval of the President of the County Board. In the case of an employee who is not employed by a department of the County, the employee's "department head", for the purposes of this Section, shall be a person designated by the President of the County Board.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 9-161, an annuitant who reenters service under this Article after receiving a retirement annuity based on benefits provided under this Section thereby forfeits the right to continue to receive those benefits, and shall have his or her retirement annuity recalculated without the benefits provided in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 87-1130.)

(40 ILCS 5/9-134.3)

Sec. 9-134.3. Early retirement incentives.

(a) To be eligible for the benefits provided in this Section, a person must:

(1) be a current contributing member of the Fund established under this Article who, on May 1, 1997 and within 30 days prior to the date of retirement, is (i) in active payroll status in a position of employment under this Article or (ii) receiving disability benefits under Section 9-156 or 9-157; or else be eligible under subsection (g);

(2) have not previously retired from the Fund, except as provided under subsection (g);

(3) file with the Board before October 1, 1997 (or the date specified in subsection (g), if applicable) a written application requesting the benefits provided in this Section;

(4) elect to retire under this Section on or after September 1, 1997 and on or before February 28, 1998 (or the date established under subsection (d) or (g), if applicable);

(5) have attained age 55 on or before the date of retirement and before February 28, 1998; and

(6) have at least 10 years of creditable service in the Fund, excluding service in any of the other participating systems under the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act, by the effective date of the retirement annuity or February 28, 1998, whichever occurs first.

(b) An employee who qualifies for the benefits provided under this Section shall be entitled to the following:

(1) The employee's retirement annuity, as calculated under the other provisions of this Article, shall be increased at the time of retirement by an amount equal to 1% of the employee's average annual salary for the highest 4 consecutive years within the last 10 years of service, multiplied by the employee's number of years of service credit in this Fund up to a maximum of 10 years; except that the total retirement annuity, including any additional benefits elected under Section 9-121.6, 9-121.17, or 9-179.3, shall not exceed 80% of that highest average annual salary.

(2) If the employee's retirement annuity is calculated under Section 9-134, the employee shall not be subject to the reduction in retirement annuity because of retirement below age 60 that is otherwise required under that Section.

(c) A person who elects to retire under the provisions of this Section thereby relinquishes his or her right, if any, to have the retirement annuity calculated under the alternative formula formerly set forth in Section 20-122 of the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act.

(d) In the case of an employee whose immediate retirement could jeopardize public safety or create hardship for the employer, the deadline for retirement provided in subdivision (a)(4) of this Section may be extended to a specified date, no later than August 31, 1998, by the employee's department head, with the approval of the President of the County Board. In the case of an employee who is not employed by a department of the County, the employee's "department head", for the purposes of this Section, shall be a person designated by the President of the County Board.

(e) Notwithstanding Section 9-161, an annuitant who reenters service under this Article after receiving a retirement annuity based on benefits provided under this Section thereby forfeits the right to continue to receive those benefits and shall have his or her retirement annuity recalculated without the benefits provided in this Section.

(f) This Section also applies to the Fund established under Article 10 of this Code.

(g) A person who (1) was a participating employee on November 30, 1996, (2) was laid off on or after December 1, 1996 and before May 1, 1997 due to the elimination of the employee's job or position, (3) meets the requirements of items (3) through (6) of subsection (a), and (4) has not been reinstated as a Cook County employee since being laid off is eligible for the benefits provided under this Section. For such a person, the application required under subdivision (a)(3) of this Section must be filed within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly, and the date of retirement must be within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act.

In the case of a person eligible under this subsection (g) who began to receive a retirement annuity before the effective date of this amendatory Act, the annuity shall be recalculated to include the increase under this Section, and that increase shall take effect on the first annuity payment date following the date of application.

(Source: P.A. 92-599, eff. 6-28-02.)

(40 ILCS 5/9-134.4)

Sec. 9-134.4. Early retirement incentives.

(a) To be eligible for the benefits provided in this Section, a person must:

(1) be a current contributing member of the Fund established under this Article who, on January 1, 2001 and within 30 days prior to the date of retirement, is (i) in active payroll status in a position of employment under this Article or (ii) receiving disability benefits under Section 9-156 or 9-157;

(2) have not previously retired from the Fund;

(3) file with the Board before March 1, 2003 a written application requesting the benefits provided in this Section;

(4) elect to retire under this Section on or after November 30, 2002 and on or before March 31, 2003 (or the date established under subsection (d), if applicable);

(5) have attained age 50 on or before the date of retirement and on or before March 31, 2003; and

(6) have at least 20 years of creditable service in the Fund, excluding service in any of the other participating systems under the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act, by the effective date of the retirement annuity or March 31, 2003, whichever occurs first.

(b) An employee who qualifies for the benefits provided under this Section shall be entitled to the following:

(1) The employee's retirement annuity, as calculated under the other provisions of this Article, shall be increased at the time of retirement by an amount equal to 1% of the employee's average annual salary for the highest 4 consecutive years within the last 10 years of service, multiplied by the employee's number of years of service credit in this Fund up to a maximum of 10 years; except that the total retirement annuity, including any additional benefits elected under Section 9-121.6, 9-121.17, or 9-179.3, shall not exceed 80% of that highest average annual salary.

(2) If the employee's retirement annuity is calculated under Section 9-134, the employee shall not be subject to the reduction in retirement annuity because of retirement below age 60 that is otherwise required under that Section.

(c) A person who elects to retire under the provisions of this Section thereby relinquishes his or her right, if any, to have the retirement annuity calculated under the alternative formula formerly set forth in Section 20-122 of the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act.

(d) In the case of an employee whose immediate retirement could jeopardize public safety or create hardship for the employer, the deadline for retirement provided in subdivision (a)(4) of this Section may be extended to a specified date, no later than September 30, 2003, by the employee's department head, with the approval of the President of the County Board. In the case of an employee who is not employed by a department of the County, the employee's "department head", for the purposes of this Section, shall be a person designated by the President of the County Board.

(e) Notwithstanding Section 9-161, an annuitant who reenters service under this Article after receiving a retirement annuity based on benefits provided under this Section thereby forfeits the right to continue to receive those benefits and shall have his or her retirement annuity recalculated without the benefits provided in this Section.

(f) This Section also applies to the Fund established under Article 10 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 92-599, eff. 6-28-02.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.31 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.31 new)

Sec. 8.31. 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 95th General Assembly.

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