HB4025enr 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4025 Enrolled LRB094 05813 AMC 35867 b

AN ACT in relation to 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 16-165 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/16-165) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-165)

Sec. 16-165. Board; elected members; vacancies.

(a) In each odd-numbered year, there shall be elected 2 teachers who shall hold office for a term of 4 years beginning July 15 next following their election, in the manner provided under this Section.

(b) One elected annuitant trustee shall first be elected in 1987, and in every fourth year thereafter, for a term of 4 years beginning July 15 next following his or her election.

(c) The elected annuitant position created by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly shall be filled as soon as possible in the manner provided for vacancies, for an initial term ending July 15, 2001. One elected annuitant trustee shall be elected in 2001, and in every fourth year thereafter, for a term of 4 years beginning July 15 next following his or her election.

(d) Elections shall be held on May 1, unless May 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, in which event the election shall be conducted on the following Monday. Candidates shall be nominated by petitions in writing, signed by not less than 500 teachers or annuitants, as the case may be, with their addresses shown opposite their names. The petitions shall be filed with the board's Secretary not less than 90 nor more than 120 days prior to May 1. The Secretary shall determine their validity not less than 75 days before the election.

(e) If, for either teacher or annuitant members, the number of qualified nominees exceeds the number of available positions, the system shall prepare an appropriate ballot with the names of the candidates in alphabetical order and shall mail one copy thereof, at least 10 days prior to the election day, to each teacher or annuitant of this system as of the latest date practicable, at the latest known address, together with a return envelope addressed to the board and also a smaller envelope marked "For Ballot Only", and a slip for signature. Each voter, upon marking his ballot with a cross mark in the square before the name of the person voted for, shall place the ballot in the envelope marked "For Ballot Only", seal the envelope, write on the slip provided therefor his signature and address, enclose both the slip and sealed envelope containing the marked ballot in the return envelope addressed to the board, and mail it. Whether a person is eligible to vote for the teacher nominees or the annuitant nominees shall be determined from system payroll records as of March 1.

Upon receipt of the return envelopes, the system shall open them and set aside unopened the envelopes marked "For Ballot Only". On election day ballots shall be publicly opened and counted by the trustees or canvassers appointed therefor. Each vote cast for a candidate represents one vote only. No ballot arriving after 10 o'clock a.m. on election day shall be counted. The 2 teacher candidates and the annuitant candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. The board shall declare the results of the election, keep a record thereof, and notify the candidates of the results thereof within 30 days after the election.

If, for either class of members, there are only as many qualified nominees as there are positions available, the balloting as described in this Section shall not be conducted for those nominees, and the board shall declare them duly elected.

(f) A vacancy occurring in the elective membership on the board shall be filled for the unexpired term by the board with a person qualified for the vacant position if there are no more than 6 months remaining on the term. For a term with more than 6 months remaining, the Director of the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois shall institute an election in accordance with this Act to fill the unexpired term.

(Source: P.A. 91-941, eff. 2-6-01.)

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