Personnel and Pensions Committee

Filed: 3/22/2007

 

 


 

 


 
09500HB1331ham001 LRB095 09085 AMC 34231 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1331

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1331 on page 1, line
3 5, by replacing "Section 16-143.3" with "Sections 16-143.3 and
4 17-121.1"; and
 
5 on page 2, immediately below line 14, by inserting the
6 following:
 
7     "(40 ILCS 5/17-121.1 new)
8     Sec. 17-121.1. Domestic partner eligibility.
9     (a) Beginning July 1, 2007, an unmarried teacher may
10 designate a domestic partner by filing a written designation
11 with the Fund in the manner prescribed by the Fund. The Fund
12 may require reasonable evidence that the person designated
13 meets the qualifications set forth in subsection (c). Such a
14 designation is revocable at any time, but may not be made or
15 changed more than once in any 24-month period. The marriage of
16 a teacher automatically revokes any designation of a domestic

 

 

09500HB1331ham001 - 2 - LRB095 09085 AMC 34231 a

1 partner previously made by that teacher.
2     (b) The designated domestic partner of a teacher shall be
3 eligible to receive survivor and death benefits under this
4 Article in the same manner and subject to the same conditions
5 as a surviving spouse. For the purposes of determining
6 eligibility for those benefits, the date of designation of a
7 domestic partner shall be deemed the equivalent of the date of
8 marriage, and the revocation or change of a designation shall
9 be deemed the equivalent of termination of the marriage.
10 References in this Article and other applicable Articles of
11 this Code to a surviving spouse shall be deemed to include a
12 surviving designated domestic partner.
13     (c) "Domestic partner" means an individual of the same
14 gender as an unmarried teacher who (1) is involved with the
15 teacher in a long-term relationship of indefinite duration; (2)
16 has resided together with the teacher at the same address for
17 at least 12 months; (3) is not related to the teacher by blood
18 to a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in
19 the state in which they legally reside; (4) is not married to
20 any other person; and (5) has an exclusive mutual commitment to
21 the teacher in which they agree to be jointly responsible for
22 each other's common welfare and to share financial
23 obligations.".