SB1635 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 08452 AMC 18569 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB1635

Introduced 2/19/2009, by Sen. Donne E. Trotter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

40 ILCS 5/22-101B
30 ILCS 805/8.33 new

Amends provisions concerning health care benefits for the Chicago Transit Authority in the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the Retiree Health Care Trust shall be solely responsible for providing health care benefits to eligible retirees and their dependents and survivors upon the exhaustion of the account established by the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees pursuant to Section 401(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, but no earlier than January 1, 2009 and no later than July 1, 2009 (rather than by no later than July 1, 2009, but no earlier than January 1, 2009). Provides health care coverage through a health maintenance organization may be provided at 100% (while certain health care benefit programs established by the Board of Trustees are limited to 90% coverage for in-network services or 70% coverage for out-of-network services). Makes changes concerning the annual assessment of the funding levels of the Retiree Health Care Trust. Provides that any retiree hired on or before September 5, 2001 who retires with 25 years or more of continuous service, shall be eligible for retiree health care benefits upon retirement in accordance with any rules or regulations adopted by the Board of Trustees. Provides that the Board of Trustees may adopt rules and regulations providing for the refund of the total contributions made by employees who are not eligible for retiree health care benefits or who elect to waive retiree health care benefits. Makes other changes. 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 Section 22-101B as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/22-101B)

Sec. 22-101B. Health Care Benefits.

(a) The Chicago Transit Authority (hereinafter referred to in this Section as the "Authority") shall take all actions lawfully available to it to separate the funding of health care benefits for retirees and their dependents and survivors from the funding for its retirement system. The Authority shall endeavor to achieve this separation as soon as possible, and in any event no later than July 1, 2009.

(b) Effective 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, a Retiree Health Care Trust is established for the purpose of providing health care benefits to eligible retirees and their dependents and survivors in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 22-101B. The Retiree Health Care Trust shall be solely responsible for providing health care benefits to eligible retirees and their dependents and survivors upon the exhaustion of the account established by the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees pursuant to Section 401(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, but no earlier than January 1, 2009 and no later than July 1, 2009 by no later than July 1, 2009, but no earlier than January 1, 2009.

(1) The Board of Trustees shall consist of 7 members appointed as follows: (i) 3 trustees shall be appointed by the Chicago Transit Board; (ii) one trustee shall be appointed by an organization representing the highest number of Chicago Transit Authority participants; (iii) one trustee shall be appointed by an organization representing the second-highest number of Chicago Transit Authority participants; (iv) one trustee shall be appointed by the recognized coalition representatives of participants who are not represented by an organization with the highest or second-highest number of Chicago Transit Authority participants; and (v) one trustee shall be selected by the Regional Transportation Authority Board of Directors, and the trustee shall be a professional fiduciary who has experience in the area of collectively bargained retiree health plans. Trustees shall serve until a successor has been appointed and qualified, or until resignation, death, incapacity, or disqualification.

Any person appointed as a trustee of the board shall qualify by taking an oath of office that he or she will diligently and honestly administer the affairs of the system, and will not knowingly violate or willfully permit the violation of any of the provisions of law applicable to the Plan, including Sections 1-109, 1-109.1, 1-109.2, 1-110, 1-111, 1-114, and 1-115 of Article 1 of the Illinois Pension Code.

Each trustee shall cast individual votes, and a majority vote shall be final and binding upon all interested parties, provided that the Board of Trustees may require a supermajority vote with respect to the investment of the assets of the Retiree Health Care Trust, and may set forth that requirement in the trust agreement or by-laws of the Board of Trustees. Each trustee shall have the rights, privileges, authority and obligations as are usual and customary for such fiduciaries.

(2) The Board of Trustees shall establish and administer a health care benefit program for eligible retirees and their dependents and survivors. Any The health care benefit program established by the Board of Trustees for eligible retirees and their dependents and survivors effective on or after July 1, 2009 shall not contain any plan which provides for more than 90% coverage for in-network services or 70% coverage for out-of-network services after any deductible has been paid, except that coverage through a health maintenance organization ("HMO") may be provided at 100%.

(3) The Retiree Health Care Trust shall be administered by the Board of Trustees according to the following requirements:

(i) The Board of Trustees may cause amounts on deposit in the Retiree Health Care Trust to be invested in those investments that are permitted investments for the investment of moneys held under any one or more of the pension or retirement systems of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof. The Board, by a vote of at least two-thirds of the trustees, may transfer investment management to the Illinois State Board of Investment, which is hereby authorized to manage these investments when so requested by the Board of Trustees.

(ii) The Board of Trustees shall establish and maintain an appropriate funding reserve level which shall not be less than the amount of incurred and unreported claims plus 12 months of expected claims and administrative expenses.

(iii) The Board of Trustees shall make an annual assessment of the funding levels of the Retiree Health Care Trust and shall submit a report to the Auditor General at least 90 days prior to the end of the fiscal year. The report shall provide the following:

(A) the actuarial present value of projected benefits expected to be paid to current and future retirees and their dependents and survivors;

(B) the actuarial present value of projected contributions and trust income plus assets;

(C) the reserve required by subsection (b)(3)(ii); and

(D) an assessment of whether the actuarial present value of projected benefits expected to be paid to current and future retirees and their dependents and survivors exceeds or is less than the actuarial present value of projected contributions and trust income plus assets in excess of the reserve required by subsection (b)(3)(ii).

If the actuarial present value of projected benefits expected to be paid to current and future retirees and their dependents and survivors exceeds the actuarial present value of projected contributions and trust income plus assets in excess of the reserve required by subsection (b)(3)(ii), then the report shall provide a plan, to be implemented over a period of not more than 10 years from each valuation date, which would make the actuarial present value of projected contributions and trust income plus assets equal to or exceed the actuarial present value of projected benefits expected to be paid to current and future retirees and their dependents and survivors. The plan may consist of increases in employee, retiree, dependent, or survivor contribution levels, decreases in benefit levels, or other plan changes or any combination thereof both, which is projected to cure the shortfall over a period of not more than 10 years. If the actuarial present value of projected benefits expected to be paid to current and future retirees and their dependents and survivors is less than the actuarial present value of projected contributions and trust income plus assets in excess of the reserve required by subsection (b)(3)(ii), then the report may provide a plan of decreases in employee, retiree, dependent, or survivor contribution levels, increases in benefit levels, or other plan changes, or any combination thereof both, to the extent of the surplus.

(iv) The Auditor General shall review the report and plan provided in subsection (b)(3)(iii) and issue a determination within 90 days after receiving the report and plan, with a copy of such determination provided to the General Assembly and the Regional Transportation Authority, as follows:

(A) In the event of a projected shortfall, if the Auditor General determines that the assumptions stated in the report are not unreasonable in the aggregate and that the plan of increases in employee, retiree, dependent, or survivor contribution levels, decreases in benefit levels, or other plan changes, or any combination thereof, to be implemented over a period of not more than 10 years from each valuation date both, is reasonably projected to make the actuarial present value of projected contributions and trust income plus assets equal to or in excess of the actuarial present value of projected benefits expected to be paid to current and future retirees and their dependents and survivors cure the shortfall over a period of not more than 10 years, then the Board of Trustees shall implement the plan. If the Auditor General determines that the assumptions stated in the report are unreasonable in the aggregate, or that the plan of increases in employee, retiree, dependent, or survivor contribution levels, decreases in benefit levels, or other plan changes to be implemented over a period of not more than 10 years from each valuation date both, is not reasonably projected to make the actuarial present value of projected contributions and trust income plus assets equal to or in excess of the actuarial present value of projected benefits expected to be paid to current and future retirees and their dependents and survivors cure the shortfall over a period of not more than 10 years, then the Board of Trustees shall not implement the plan, the Auditor General shall explain the basis for such determination to the Board of Trustees, and the Auditor General may make recommendations as to an alternative report and plan.

(B) In the event of a projected surplus, if the Auditor General determines that the assumptions stated in the report are not unreasonable in the aggregate and that the plan of decreases in employee, retiree, dependent, or survivor contribution levels, increases in benefit levels, or both, is not unreasonable in the aggregate, then the Board of Trustees shall implement the plan. If the Auditor General determines that the assumptions stated in the report are unreasonable in the aggregate, or that the plan of decreases in employee, retiree, dependent, or survivor contribution levels, increases in benefit levels, or both, is unreasonable in the aggregate, then the Board of Trustees shall not implement the plan, the Auditor General shall explain the basis for such determination to the Board of Trustees, and the Auditor General may make recommendations as to an alternative report and plan.

(C) The Board of Trustees shall submit an alternative report and plan within 45 days after receiving a rejection determination by the Auditor General. A determination by the Auditor General on any alternative report and plan submitted by the Board of Trustees shall be made within 90 days after receiving the alternative report and plan, and shall be accepted or rejected according to the requirements of this subsection (b)(3)(iv). The Board of Trustees shall continue to submit alternative reports and plans to the Auditor General, as necessary, until a favorable determination is made by the Auditor General.

(4) For any retiree who first retires effective on or after January 18, 2008, to be eligible for retiree health care benefits upon retirement, the retiree must be at least 55 years of age, retire with 10 or more years of continuous service and satisfy the preconditions established by Public Act 95-708 in addition to any rules or regulations promulgated by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any retiree hired on or before September 5, 2001 who retires retired prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act with 25 years or more of continuous service, or who retires within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act or by January 1, 2009, whichever is later, with 25 years or more of continuous service, shall be eligible for retiree health care benefits upon retirement in accordance with any rules or regulations adopted by the Board of Trustees. This paragraph (4) shall not apply to a disability allowance.

(5) Effective January 1, 2009, the aggregate amount of retiree, dependent and survivor contributions to the cost of their health care benefits shall not exceed more than 45% of the total cost of such benefits. The Board of Trustees shall have the discretion to provide different contribution levels for retirees, dependents and survivors based on their years of service, level of coverage or Medicare eligibility, provided that the total contribution from all retirees, dependents, and survivors shall be not more than 45% of the total cost of such benefits. The term "total cost of such benefits" for purposes of this subsection shall be the total amount expended by the retiree health benefit program in the prior plan year, as calculated and certified in writing by the Retiree Health Care Trust's enrolled actuary to be appointed and paid for by the Board of Trustees.

(6) Effective January 18, 2008, all employees of the Authority shall contribute to the Retiree Health Care Trust in an amount not less than 3% of compensation. The Board of Trustees may adopt rules and regulations providing for the refund of the total contributions made by employees who are not eligible for retiree health care benefits or who elect to waive retiree health care benefits.

(7) No earlier than January 1, 2009 and no later than July 1, 2009 as the Retiree Health Care Trust becomes solely responsible for providing health care benefits to eligible retirees and their dependents and survivors in accordance with subsection (b) of this Section 22-101B, the Authority shall not have any obligation to provide health care to current or future retirees and their dependents or survivors. Employees, retirees, dependents, and survivors who are required to make contributions to the Retiree Health Care Trust shall make contributions at the level set by the Board of Trustees pursuant to the requirements of this Section 22-101B.

(Source: P.A. 95-708, eff. 1-18-08; 95-906, eff. 8-26-08.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.33 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.33 new)

Sec. 8.33. 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 96th General Assembly.

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