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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The 97th General Assembly of the State of Illinois
3has submitted House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment
449, a proposal to amend the Illinois Constitution, to the
5voters of Illinois at the November 2012 general election; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act
7requires the General Assembly to prepare a brief explanation of
8the proposed amendment, a brief argument in favor of the
9amendment, a brief argument against the amendment, and the form
10in which the amendment will appear on the ballot, and also
11requires the information to be published and distributed to the
12electorate; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
15SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the proposed form of new Section
165.1 of Article XIII shall be published as follows:
 
 
17
"ARTICLE XIII
18
GENERAL PROVISIONS

 
 
19    (ILCON Art. XIII, Sec. 5.1 new)

 

 

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1SECTION 5.1. PENSION AND RETIREMENT BENEFIT INCREASES
 
2    (a) No bill, except a bill for appropriations, that
3provides a benefit increase under any pension or retirement
4system of the State, any unit of local government or school
5district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall
6become law without the concurrence of three-fifths of the
7members elected to each house of the General Assembly. If the
8Governor vetoes such a bill by returning it with objections to
9the house in which it originated, the provisions of Article IV,
10Section 9 shall govern the passage of that bill except that
11such bill shall not become law unless, upon its return, it is
12passed by a record vote of two-thirds of the members elected to
13each house of the General Assembly. If the Governor returns
14such a bill with specific recommendations for change to the
15house in which it originated, the provisions of Article IV,
16Section 9 shall govern the acceptance of those specific
17recommendations except that such recommendations may be
18accepted only by a record vote of two-thirds of the members
19elected to each house of the General Assembly, regardless of
20the bill's date of passage or effective date.
21    For purposes of this subsection, the term "benefit
22increase" means a change to any pension or other law that
23results in a member of a pension or retirement system receiving
24a new benefit or an enhancement to a benefit, including, but
25not limited to, any changes that (i) increase the amount of the

 

 

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1pension or annuity that a member could receive upon retirement,
2or (ii) reduce or eliminate the eligibility requirements or
3other terms or conditions a member must meet to receive a
4pension or annuity upon retirement. The term "benefit increase"
5also means a change to any pension or other law that expands
6the class of persons who may become a member of any pension or
7retirement system or who may receive a pension or annuity from
8a pension or retirement system. An increase in salary or wage
9level, by itself, shall not constitute a "benefit increase"
10unless that increase exceeds limitations provided by law.
11    (b) No ordinance, resolution, rule, or other action of the
12governing body, or an appointee or employee of the governing
13body, of any unit of local government or school district that
14provides an emolument increase to an official or employee that
15has the effect of increasing the amount of the pension or
16annuity that an official or employee could receive as a member
17of a pension or retirement system shall be valid without the
18concurrence of three-fifths of the members of that governing
19body. For purposes of this subsection, the term "emolument
20increase" means the creation of a new or enhancement of an
21existing advantage, profit or gain that an official or employee
22receives by virtue of holding office or employment, including,
23but not limited to, compensated time off, bonuses, incentives,
24or other forms of compensation. An increase in salary or wage
25level, by itself, shall not constitute an "emolument increase"
26unless that increase exceeds limitations provided by law.

 

 

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1    (c) No action of the governing body, or an appointee or
2employee of the governing body, of any pension or retirement
3system created or maintained for the benefit of officers or
4employees of the State, any unit of local government or school
5district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof that results
6in a beneficial determination shall be valid without the
7concurrence of three-fifths of the members of that governing
8body. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "beneficial
9determination" means an interpretation or application of
10pension or other law by the governing body, or an appointee or
11employee of the governing body, that reverses or supersedes a
12previous interpretation or application and either (i) results
13in an increase in the amount of the pension or annuity received
14by a member of the pension or retirement system or (ii) results
15in a person becoming eligible to receive a pension or annuity
16from the pension or retirement system. The term "beneficial
17determination" shall not include a beneficial determination
18mandated by a final decision of a court of competent
19jurisdiction.
20    (d) Nothing in this Section shall prevent the passage or
21adoption of any law, ordinance, resolution, rule, policy, or
22practice that further restricts the ability to provide a
23"benefit increase", "emolument increase", or "beneficial
24determination" as those terms are used under this Section.";
25and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a brief explanation of the proposed
2amendment, a brief argument in favor of the amendment, a brief
3argument against the amendment, and the form in which the
4amendment will appear on the ballot shall be published and
5distributed as follows:

 

 

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1
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
2
TO ADD SECTION 5.1 TO ARTICLE XIII
3
OF THE ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION

 
 
 
4
That will be submitted to the voters
5
November 6, 2012

 
 
 
6
This pamphlet includes

 
7
EXPLANATION OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT
8
ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT
9
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE AMENDMENT
10
FORM OF BALLOT
 

 

 

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1    To the Electors of the State of Illinois:
 
2    The purpose of a state constitution is to establish a
3structure for government and laws. The Illinois Constitution:
4provides citizens with rights and protections; creates the
5executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government;
6clarifies the powers given to local governments; limits the
7taxing power of the State; and imposes certain restrictions on
8the use of taxpayer dollars. There are three ways to initiate
9change to the Illinois Constitution: (1) a constitutional
10convention may propose changes to any part; (2) the General
11Assembly may propose changes to any part; or (3) the people of
12the State by referendum may propose changes to the Legislative
13Article. Regardless of the method of initiating change, the
14people of Illinois must approve any changes of the Constitution
15before they become effective.
 
16    The proposed amendment adds Section 5.1 to the General
17Provisions Article of the Illinois Constitution. The new
18section would require a three-fifths majority vote to approve
19any pension or retirement benefit increase for public employees
20and officials. At the general election to be held on November
216, 2012, you will be called upon to decide whether the proposed
22amendment should become part of the Illinois Constitution.
 
23
EXPLANATION

 

 

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1    The proposed amendment adds a section to the Illinois
2Constitution requiring a three-fifths majority vote to approve
3any pension or retirement benefit increase for public employees
4and officials.
5    The proposed amendment requires a three-fifths vote of each
6chamber of the General Assembly (the Senate and the House of
7Representatives) for a bill that provides a pension benefit
8increase, except for appropriation bills. "Benefit increase"
9means a change to any pension or other law that results in a
10member of a pension or retirement system receiving a new
11benefit or an enhancement, including any changes that (i)
12increase the amount of a member's pension, or (ii) reduce or
13eliminate the eligibility requirements or other terms or
14conditions a member must meet to receive a pension. It also
15means a change to any pension or other law that expands the
16class of persons who may become members of any pension or
17retirement system. An increase in salary or wage level, by
18itself, does not constitute a "benefit increase," unless the
19increase exceeds limitations provided by law.
20    The proposed amendment would also require a two-thirds vote
21for lawmakers to override a governor's veto or accept a
22governor's proposed changes in a rewrite of pension increase
23legislation. Currently, it takes a three-fifths vote to
24override a veto and only a simple majority to accept a
25governor's changes.
26    The proposed amendment requires approval of three-fifths

 

 

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1of the members of the governing body of a unit of local
2government or school district for any ordinance, resolution,
3rule, or other action that provides an enhancement or emolument
4increase to an employee or officer that has the effect of
5increasing the pension of that employee or officer. "Emolument
6increase" means the creation of a new, or enhancement of an
7existing, advantage, profit, or gain that an official or
8employee receives by virtue of holding office or employment,
9which includes compensated time off, bonuses, incentives, or
10other forms of compensation. An increase in salary or wage
11level, by itself, does not constitute an "emolument increase,"
12unless the increase exceeds limitations provided by law.
13    The proposed amendment requires approval of three-fifths
14of the members of the governing body of a pension or retirement
15system for any action that results in a "beneficial
16determination." A "beneficial determination" is an
17interpretation or application of law that reverses or
18supersedes a previous decision if that interpretation or
19application (i) results in an increase in the overall amount of
20pension benefits received by a member or (ii) results in a
21person becoming eligible to receive a pension. "Beneficial
22determination" does not include a final decision mandated by
23the courts.
24    Voters that believe the Illinois Constitution should be
25amended to require a three-fifths majority vote to approve any
26pension or retirement benefit increase for public employees and

 

 

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1officials should vote "YES" on the question. Three-fifths of
2those voting on the question, or a majority of those voting in
3the election, must vote "YES" in order for the amendment to
4become effective. Voters that believe the Illinois
5Constitution should not be amended to require a three-fifths
6majority vote to approve any pension or retirement benefit
7increase for public employees and officials should vote "NO" on
8the question.
 
 
9
Arguments in Favor of the Proposed Amendment
 
10    (1) A higher vote requirement would help prevent unfunded
11future liability for pension benefits.
12    (2) Requiring a three-fifths vote would provide better
13accountability.
14    (3) A three-fifths vote requires greater consensus among
15parties.
 
16Unfunded Liability
 
17    Currently, the public retirement system is not financially
18stable and is significantly underfunded. A higher vote
19requirement to enact pension benefit increases will help to
20maintain fiscal responsibility and make it more difficult to
21further burden the public retirement system.
 

 

 

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1Provide More Accountability
 
2    The proposed amendment provides more accountability in the
3legislative process by requiring more votes to pass a pension
4benefit increase. Since the cost of benefit increases comes at
5a later date, the price to the taxpayers is not always noticed
6immediately. A higher vote requirement will signify to the
7governing body that they are taking a serious action and will
8encourage greater in-depth thought before passage.
 
9Greater Consensus
 
10    A three-fifths vote requirement means the members of the
11governing body, regardless of political affiliation, will need
12to work together to reach an agreement. A greater consensus
13would provide for better decisions and more serious
14deliberation. Given the importance of pension benefit
15increases, and their subsequent impact on taxpayers, greater
16agreement would be beneficial.
 
17
Arguments Against the Proposed Amendment

 
18    (1) A higher vote requirement may limit the bargaining
19power of employers and employees.
20    (2) There is the possibility of disagreement on what

 

 

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1constitutes a benefit increase.
2    (3) Requiring a supermajority for pension benefit
3increases could make it more difficult to recruit the best
4people to work in government service.
 
5Decreased Bargaining Power
 
6     Many government employees are represented by labor unions
7that bargain on their behalf for particular benefits. This
8constitutional amendment may make it more difficult for unions
9to bargain for certain increased benefits for their employees.
10In addition, many government employers may prefer to bargain
11over these benefits to give incentives to employees to do their
12jobs well. This constitutional amendment could remove
13bargaining power from both the government employer and
14government employee.
 
15Possibility of Disagreement on Terms
 
16    The proposed amendment creates new definitions for the
17terms "benefit increase," "emolument increase," and
18"beneficial determination," which are not defined in other
19statutes or in existing case law. These definitions could
20generate litigation, resulting in additional costs. There may
21also be disagreement amongst the governing body on whether a
22bill, resolution, or other action constitutes a "benefit

 

 

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1increase," "emolument increase," or "beneficial
2determination."
 
3Recruiting Employees for Government Jobs
 
4    Like any employer, units of government wish to attract good
5employees. This constitutional amendment may make it more
6difficult for employers to increase benefits to employees and,
7therefore, make it harder to attract the best people to
8government service.
 
9
FORM OF BALLOT

 
10
Proposed Amendment to the 1970 Illinois Constitution
11
Explanation of Amendment

 
12Upon approval by the voters, the proposed amendment, which
13takes effect on January 9, 2013, adds a new section to the
14General Provisions Article of the Illinois Constitution. The
15new section would require a three-fifths majority vote of each
16chamber of the General Assembly, or the governing body of a
17unit of local government, school district, or pension or
18retirement system, in order to increase a benefit under any
19public pension or retirement system. At the general election to
20be held on November 6, 2012, you will be called upon to decide
21whether the proposed amendment should become part of the

 

 

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1Illinois Constitution.
 
2If you believe the Illinois Constitution should be amended to
3require a three-fifths majority vote in order to increase a
4benefit under any public pension or retirement system, you
5should vote "YES" on the question. If you believe the Illinois
6Constitution should not be amended to require a three-fifths
7majority vote in order to increase a benefit under any public
8pension or retirement system, you should vote "NO" on the
9question. Three-fifths of those voting on the question or a
10majority of those voting in the election must vote "YES" in
11order for the amendment to become effective on January 9, 2013.
 
12-------------------------------------------------------------
13       YES            For the proposed addition -
14----------       of Section 5.1 to Article XIII
15       NO         of the Illinois Constitution.
16-------------------------------------------------------------