HB5140 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 19160 AMC 45393 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB5140

Introduced , by Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

40 ILCS 5/3-114.1	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-114.1
30 ILCS 805/8.32 new

Amends the Downstate Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that certain disabled police officers who are receiving a disability pension on the effective date of the amendatory Act and who apply within 30 days after that effective date and annually thereafter while the pension remains payable shall be eligible to receive an annual noncompounded increase in his or her line of duty disability pension equal to 3% of the original pension. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

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 Section 3-114.1 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/3-114.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-114.1)

Sec. 3-114.1. Disability pension - Line of duty.

(a) If a police officer as the result of sickness, accident or injury incurred in or resulting from the performance of an act of duty, is found to be physically or mentally disabled for service in the police department, so as to render necessary his or her suspension or retirement from the police service, the police officer shall be entitled to a disability retirement pension equal to the greatest of (1) 65% of the salary attached to the rank on the police force held by the officer at the date of suspension of duty or retirement, (2) the retirement pension that the police officer would be eligible to receive if he or she retired (but not including any automatic annual increase in that retirement pension), or (3) the pension provided under subsection (d), if applicable.

A police officer shall be considered "on duty" while on any assignment approved by the chief of the police department of the municipality he or she serves, whether the assignment is within or outside the municipality.

(b) If a police officer on disability pension dies while still disabled, the disability pension shall continue to be paid to his or her survivors in the sequence provided in Section 3-112.

(c) From and after July 1, 1987, any pension payable under this Section shall be at least $400 per month, without regard to the fact that the disability or death of the police officer occurred prior to that date. If the minimum pension established in Section 3-113.1 is greater than the minimum provided in this Section, the Section 3-113.1 minimum controls.

(d) A disabled police officer who (1) is receiving a pension under this Section on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th 91st General Assembly, (2) files with the Fund, within 30 days after that effective date and annually thereafter while the pension remains payable, a written application for the benefits of this subsection, including an affidavit stating that the applicant has not earned any income from gainful employment during the most recently concluded tax year and a copy of his or her most recent Illinois income tax return, (3) has service credit in the Fund for at least 7 years of active duty, and (4) has been receiving the pension under this Section for a period which, when added to the officer's total service credit in the Fund, equals at least 20 years, shall be eligible to receive an annual noncompounded increase in his or her pension under this Section, equal to 3% of the original pension.

The Fund may take appropriate steps to verify the applicant's disability and earnings status, and for this purpose may request from the Department of Revenue a certified copy of the applicant's Illinois income tax return for any year for which a benefit under this Section is payable or has been paid.

The annual increase shall accrue on each anniversary of the initial pension payment date, for so long as the pension remains payable to the disabled police officer and the required annual application is made, except that the annual increases under this subsection shall cease if the disabled police officer earns income from gainful employment. Within 60 days after accepting an initial application under this subsection, the Fund shall pay to the disabled police officer, in a lump sum without interest, the amounts resulting from the annual increases that have accrued retroactively.

This subsection is not limited to persons in active service on or after its effective date, but it applies only to a pension that is payable under this Section to a disabled police officer (rather than a survivor). Upon the death of the disabled police officer, the annuity payable under this Section to his or her survivors shall include any annual increases previously received, but no additional increases shall accrue under this subsection.

(Source: P.A. 91-939, eff. 2-1-01.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.32 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.32 new)

Sec. 8.32. 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.