HB6163 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 21280 JDS 68977 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB6163

Introduced , by Rep. Jim Durkin

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Pension Benefit Increase Note Act. Requires the Division of Insurance within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to prepare a written pension benefit increase note in relation to any bill, introduced in either house of the General Assembly, that proposes to grant a pension benefit increase. Contains provisions concerning the contents of the note; the appearance of employees of the Department before committees of the General Assembly; the effect of the Act on amendments; and the confidentiality of note-related information. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Pension Benefit Increase Note Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Department" means the Division of Insurance within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

"Pension benefit increase" means a change to any pension or other law that results in a member of a pension or retirement system receiving a new benefit or an enhancement to a benefit, including, but not limited to, any changes that (i) increase the amount of the pension or annuity that a member could receive upon retirement or (ii) reduce or eliminate the eligibility requirements or other terms or conditions a member must meet to receive a pension or annuity upon retirement. The term "pension benefit increase" also means a change to any pension or other law that expands the class of persons who may become a member of any pension or retirement system or who may receive a pension or annuity from a pension or retirement system. An increase in salary or wage level, by itself, shall not constitute a "pension benefit increase" unless that increase exceeds limitations provided by law.

Section 10. Pension benefit increase notes. The Department shall prepare a written pension benefit increase note in relation to any bill, introduced in either house of the General Assembly, that proposes to grant a pension benefit increase.

Upon the introduction of any such bill, the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate shall forward the bill to the Department, which shall prepare such a note within 7 calendar days after receiving the request. The bill shall be held on second reading until the note has been received.

Copies of each pension benefit increase note shall be furnished by the Department to the presiding officer of each house, the minority leader of each house, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, the sponsor of the bill which is the subject of the note, the member, if any, who initiated the request for the note, the Chairman of the House Committee on Personnel and Pensions, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance, Pensions and Licensed Activities.

Section 15. Content of pension benefit increase note.

The pension benefit increase note shall simply state whether or not the bill proposes to grant a pension benefit increase.

Section 20. Appearance before committees of the General Assembly. The fact that a pension benefit increase note is prepared for any bill shall not preclude or restrict the appearance before any committee of the General Assembly of any official or authorized employee of the Department who desires to be heard in support of or in opposition to the measure.

Section 25. Effect of Act on amendments. Whenever any committee of either house reports any bill with an amendment that proposes to grant a pension benefit increase and whenever any bill is amended on the floor of either house in such manner as to propose to grant a pension benefit increase, the Department may, on its own initiative, or shall, within 7 days after a request by any member of the house by which the bill is then being considered, prepare a new or revised pension benefit increase note in relation to the amended bill. If such a request is made, the bill shall be held on second reading until the note is received or the 7 day period has elapsed. Copies of each new or revised pension benefit increase note shall be furnished to the persons named in Section 10.

Section 30. Confidentiality. The subject matter of bills submitted to the Department for preparation of pension benefit increase notes shall be kept in strict confidence and no information relating thereto shall be divulged by any official or employee of the Department prior to its introduction in the General Assembly.

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