HB3474ham002 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Karen May

Filed: 4/4/2011

09700HB3474ham002 LRB097 10961 JDS 53881 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3474

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3474 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing Sections 1-160, 7-116, 7-172, 7-205, 14-103.05, 22-101, and 22-103 and by adding Sections 1-161 and 7-225 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/1-160)

Sec. 1-160. Provisions applicable to new hires.

(a) The provisions of this Section apply to a person who, on or after January 1, 2011, first becomes a member or a participant under any reciprocal retirement system or pension fund established under this Code, other than a retirement system or pension fund established under Article 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 18 of this Code, notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, but do not apply to any self-managed plan established under this Code, to any person with respect to service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee under Article 7, or to any participant of the retirement plan established under Section 22-101.

(b) "Final average salary" means the average monthly (or annual) salary obtained by dividing the total salary or earnings calculated under the Article applicable to the member or participant during the 96 consecutive months (or 8 consecutive years) of service within the last 120 months (or 10 years) of service in which the total salary or earnings calculated under the applicable Article was the highest by the number of months (or years) of service in that period. For the purposes of a person who first becomes a member or participant of any retirement system or pension fund to which this Section applies on or after January 1, 2011, in this Code, "final average salary" shall be substituted for the following:

(1) In Articles 7 (except for service as sheriff's law enforcement employees) and 15, "final rate of earnings".

(2) In Articles 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, "highest average annual salary for any 4 consecutive years within the last 10 years of service immediately preceding the date of withdrawal".

(3) In Article 13, "average final salary".

(4) In Article 14, "final average compensation".

(5) In Article 17, "average salary".

(6) In Section 22-207, "wages or salary received by him at the date of retirement or discharge".

(b-5) Beginning on January 1, 2011, for all purposes under this Code (including without limitation the calculation of benefits and employee contributions), the annual earnings, salary, or wages (based on the plan year) of a member or participant to whom this Section applies shall not exceed $106,800; however, that amount shall annually thereafter be increased by the lesser of (i) 3% of that amount, including all previous adjustments, or (ii) one-half the annual unadjusted percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, including all previous adjustments.

For the purposes of this Section, "consumer price index-u" means the index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor that measures the average change in prices of goods and services purchased by all urban consumers, United States city average, all items, 1982-84 = 100. The new amount resulting from each annual adjustment shall be determined by the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance and made available to the boards of the retirement systems and pension funds by November 1 of each year.

(c) A member or participant is entitled to a retirement annuity upon written application if he or she has attained age 67 and has at least 10 years of service credit and is otherwise eligible under the requirements of the applicable Article.

A member or participant who has attained age 62 and has at least 10 years of service credit and is otherwise eligible under the requirements of the applicable Article may elect to receive the lower retirement annuity provided in subsection (d) of this Section.

(d) The retirement annuity of a member or participant who is retiring after attaining age 62 with at least 10 years of service credit shall be reduced by one-half of 1% for each full month that the member's age is under age 67.

(e) Any retirement annuity or supplemental annuity shall be subject to annual increases on the January 1 occurring either on or after the attainment of age 67 or the first anniversary of the annuity start date, whichever is later. Each annual increase shall be calculated at 3% or one-half the annual unadjusted percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, whichever is less, of the originally granted retirement annuity. If the annual unadjusted percentage change in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1 is zero or there is a decrease, then the annuity shall not be increased.

(f) The initial survivor's or widow's annuity of an otherwise eligible survivor or widow of a retired member or participant who first became a member or participant on or after January 1, 2011 shall be in the amount of 66 2/3% of the retired member's or participant's retirement annuity at the date of death. In the case of the death of a member or participant who has not retired and who first became a member or participant on or after January 1, 2011, eligibility for a survivor's or widow's annuity shall be determined by the applicable Article of this Code. The initial benefit shall be 66 2/3% of the earned annuity without a reduction due to age. A child's annuity of an otherwise eligible child shall be in the amount prescribed under each Article if applicable. Any survivor's or widow's annuity shall be increased (1) on each January 1 occurring on or after the commencement of the annuity if the deceased member died while receiving a retirement annuity or (2) in other cases, on each January 1 occurring after the first anniversary of the commencement of the annuity. Each annual increase shall be calculated at 3% or one-half the annual unadjusted percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, whichever is less, of the originally granted survivor's annuity. If the annual unadjusted percentage change in the consumer price index-u for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1 is zero or there is a decrease, then the annuity shall not be increased.

(g) The benefits in Section 14-110 apply only if the person is a State policeman, a fire fighter in the fire protection service of a department, or a security employee of the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice, as those terms are defined in subsection (b) of Section 14-110. A person who meets the requirements of this Section is entitled to an annuity calculated under the provisions of Section 14-110, in lieu of the regular or minimum retirement annuity, only if the person has withdrawn from service with not less than 20 years of eligible creditable service and has attained age 60, regardless of whether the attainment of age 60 occurs while the person is still in service.

(h) If a person who first becomes a member or a participant of a retirement system or pension fund subject to this Section on or after January 1, 2011 is receiving a retirement annuity or retirement pension under that system or fund and becomes a member or participant under any other system or fund created by this Code and is employed on a full-time basis, except for those members or participants exempted from the provisions of this Section under subsection (a) of this Section, then the person's retirement annuity or retirement pension under that system or fund shall be suspended during that employment. Upon termination of that employment, the person's retirement annuity or retirement pension payments shall resume and be recalculated if recalculation is provided for under the applicable Article of this Code.

If a person who first becomes a member of a retirement system or pension fund subject to this Section on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly is receiving a retirement annuity or retirement pension under that system or fund and accepts on a contractual basis a position to provide services to a governmental entity from which he or she has retired, then that person's annuity or retirement pension earned as an active employee of the employer shall be suspended during that contractual service. A person receiving an annuity or retirement pension under this Code shall notify the pension fund or retirement system from which he or she is receiving an annuity or retirement pension, as well as his or her contractual employer, of his or her retirement status before accepting contractual employment. A person who fails to submit such notification shall be a guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and required to pay a fine of $1,000. Upon termination of that contractual employment, the person's retirement annuity or retirement pension payments shall resume and, if appropriate, be recalculated under the applicable provisions of this Code.

(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, a person who first becomes a participant of the retirement system established under Article 15 on or after January 1, 2011 shall have the option to enroll in the self-managed plan created under Section 15-158.2 of this Code.

(j) In the case of a conflict between the provisions of this Section and any other provision of this Code, the provisions of this Section shall control.

(Source: P.A. 96-889, eff. 1-1-11; 96-1490, eff. 1-1-11.)

(40 ILCS 5/1-161 new)

Sec. 1-161. Provisions applicable to new hires.

(a) The provisions of this Section apply to a person who, on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, first becomes a member or a participant under any retirement system or pension fund established under this Code.

(b) Pensionable earnings shall be limited to the base salary or other base compensation paid to the member or participant for employment by the employer, and shall not include, without limitation: overtime; commissions; bonuses; payment of any type in anticipation of retirement; termination or severance pay; lump sum payments for sick, compensatory, vacation time, or other benefits; indirect or in-kind payments for items such as housing, vehicles, lodging, travel, or clothing allowances; or any other type of payment that is a divergence from the normal progression patterns on which an individual's benefits should be based. For the purposes of a person who first becomes a member or participant of any retirement system or pension fund to which this Section applies on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, in this Code, "pensionable earnings" shall be substituted for the following:

(1) In Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, and 18, "salary".

(2) In Article 7, "earnings".

(3) In Article 14, "compensation".

(4) In Article 15, "basic compensation".

(40 ILCS 5/7-116) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-116)

Sec. 7-116. "Final rate of earnings":

(a) For retirement and survivor annuities, the monthly earnings obtained by dividing the total earnings received by the employee during the period of either (1) the 48 consecutive months of service within the last 120 months of service in which his total earnings were the highest or (2) the employee's total period of service, by the number of months of service in such period.

(b) For death benefits, the higher of the rate determined under paragraph (a) of this Section or total earnings received in the last 12 months of service divided by twelve. If the deceased employee has less than 12 months of service, the monthly final rate shall be the monthly rate of pay the employee was receiving when he began service.

(c) For disability benefits, the total earnings of a participating employee in the last 12 calendar months of service prior to the date he becomes disabled divided by 12.

(d) In computing the final rate of earnings: (1) the earnings rate for all periods of prior service shall be considered equal to the average earnings rate for the last 3 calendar years of prior service for which creditable service is received under Section 7-139 or, if there is less than 3 years of creditable prior service, the average for the total prior service period for which creditable service is received under Section 7-139; (2) for out of state service and authorized leave, the earnings rate shall be the rate upon which service credits are granted; (3) periods of military leave shall not be considered; (4) the earnings rate for all periods of disability shall be considered equal to the rate of earnings upon which the employee's disability benefits are computed for such periods; (5) the earnings to be considered for each of the final three months of the final earnings period for persons who first become participants on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly and the earnings to be considered for each of the final 24 months for participants who first become participants on or after the effective date of the this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly shall not exceed 125% of the highest earnings of any other month in the final earnings period; and (6) the annual amount of final rate of earnings shall be the monthly amount multiplied by the number of months of service normally required by the position in a year.

(Source: P.A. 90-448, eff. 8-16-97.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-172) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-172)

Sec. 7-172. Contributions by participating municipalities and participating instrumentalities.

(a) Each participating municipality and each participating instrumentality shall make payment to the fund as follows:

1. municipality contributions in an amount determined by applying the municipality contribution rate to each payment of earnings paid to each of its participating employees;

2. an amount equal to the employee contributions provided by paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 7-173, whether or not the employee contributions are withheld as permitted by that Section;

3. all accounts receivable, together with interest charged thereon, as provided in Section 7-209;

4. if it has no participating employees with current earnings, an amount payable which, over a closed period of 20 years for participating municipalities and 10 years for participating instrumentalities, will amortize, at the effective rate for that year, any unfunded obligation. The unfunded obligation shall be computed as provided in paragraph 2 of subsection (b);

5. if it has fewer than 7 participating employees or a negative balance in its municipality reserve, the greater of (A) an amount payable that, over a period of 20 years, will amortize at the effective rate for that year any unfunded obligation, computed as provided in paragraph 2 of subsection (b) or (B) the amount required by paragraph 1 of this subsection (a).

(b) A separate municipality contribution rate shall be determined for each calendar year for all participating municipalities together with all instrumentalities thereof. The municipality contribution rate shall be determined for participating instrumentalities as if they were participating municipalities. The municipality contribution rate shall be the sum of the following percentages:

1. The percentage of earnings of all the participating employees of all participating municipalities and participating instrumentalities which, if paid over the entire period of their service, will be sufficient when combined with all employee contributions available for the payment of benefits, to provide all annuities for participating employees, and the $3,000 death benefit payable under Sections 7-158 and 7-164, such percentage to be known as the normal cost rate.

2. The percentage of earnings of the participating employees of each participating municipality and participating instrumentalities necessary to adjust for the difference between the present value of all benefits, excluding temporary and total and permanent disability and death benefits, to be provided for its participating employees and the sum of its accumulated municipality contributions and the accumulated employee contributions and the present value of expected future employee and municipality contributions pursuant to subparagraph 1 of this paragraph (b). This adjustment shall be spread over the remainder of the period that is allowable under generally accepted accounting principles.

3. The percentage of earnings of the participating employees of all municipalities and participating instrumentalities necessary to provide the present value of all temporary and total and permanent disability benefits granted during the most recent year for which information is available.

4. The percentage of earnings of the participating employees of all participating municipalities and participating instrumentalities necessary to provide the present value of the net single sum death benefits expected to become payable from the reserve established under Section 7-206 during the year for which this rate is fixed.

5. The percentage of earnings necessary to meet any deficiency arising in the Terminated Municipality Reserve.

(c) A separate municipality contribution rate shall be computed for each participating municipality or participating instrumentality for its sheriff's law enforcement employees.

A separate municipality contribution rate shall be computed for the sheriff's law enforcement employees of each forest preserve district that elects to have such employees. For the period from January 1, 1986 to December 31, 1986, such rate shall be the forest preserve district's regular rate plus 2%.

In the event that the Board determines that there is an actuarial deficiency in the account of any municipality with respect to a person who has elected to participate in the Fund under Section 3-109.1 of this Code, the Board may adjust the municipality's contribution rate so as to make up that deficiency over such reasonable period of time as the Board may determine.

(d) The Board may establish a separate municipality contribution rate for all employees who are program participants employed under the federal Comprehensive Employment Training Act by all of the participating municipalities and instrumentalities. The Board may also provide that, in lieu of a separate municipality rate for these employees, a portion of the municipality contributions for such program participants shall be refunded or an extra charge assessed so that the amount of municipality contributions retained or received by the fund for all CETA program participants shall be an amount equal to that which would be provided by the separate municipality contribution rate for all such program participants. Refunds shall be made to prime sponsors of programs upon submission of a claim therefor and extra charges shall be assessed to participating municipalities and instrumentalities. In establishing the municipality contribution rate as provided in paragraph (b) of this Section, the use of a separate municipality contribution rate for program participants or the refund of a portion of the municipality contributions, as the case may be, may be considered.

(e) Computations of municipality contribution rates for the following calendar year shall be made prior to the beginning of each year, from the information available at the time the computations are made, and on the assumption that the employees in each participating municipality or participating instrumentality at such time will continue in service until the end of such calendar year at their respective rates of earnings at such time.

(f) Any municipality which is the recipient of State allocations representing that municipality's contributions for retirement annuity purposes on behalf of its employees as provided in Section 12-21.16 of the Illinois Public Aid Code shall pay the allocations so received to the Board for such purpose. Estimates of State allocations to be received during any taxable year shall be considered in the determination of the municipality's tax rate for that year under Section 7-171. If a special tax is levied under Section 7-171, none of the proceeds may be used to reimburse the municipality for the amount of State allocations received and paid to the Board. Any multiple-county or consolidated health department which receives contributions from a county under Section 11.2 of "An Act in relation to establishment and maintenance of county and multiple-county health departments", approved July 9, 1943, as amended, or distributions under Section 3 of the Department of Public Health Act, shall use these only for municipality contributions by the health department.

(g) Municipality contributions for the several purposes specified shall, for township treasurers and employees in the offices of the township treasurers who meet the qualifying conditions for coverage hereunder, be allocated among the several school districts and parts of school districts serviced by such treasurers and employees in the proportion which the amount of school funds of each district or part of a district handled by the treasurer bears to the total amount of all school funds handled by the treasurer.

From the funds subject to allocation among districts and parts of districts pursuant to the School Code, the trustees shall withhold the proportionate share of the liability for municipality contributions imposed upon such districts by this Section, in respect to such township treasurers and employees and remit the same to the Board.

The municipality contribution rate for an educational service center shall initially be the same rate for each year as the regional office of education or school district which serves as its administrative agent. When actuarial data become available, a separate rate shall be established as provided in subparagraph (i) of this Section.

The municipality contribution rate for a public agency, other than a vocational education cooperative, formed under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act shall initially be the average rate for the municipalities which are parties to the intergovernmental agreement. When actuarial data become available, a separate rate shall be established as provided in subparagraph (i) of this Section.

(h) Each participating municipality and participating instrumentality shall make the contributions in the amounts provided in this Section in the manner prescribed from time to time by the Board and all such contributions shall be obligations of the respective participating municipalities and participating instrumentalities to this fund. The failure to deduct any employee contributions shall not relieve the participating municipality or participating instrumentality of its obligation to this fund. Delinquent payments of contributions due under this Section may, with interest, be recovered by civil action against the participating municipalities or participating instrumentalities. Municipality contributions, other than the amount necessary for employee contributions and Social Security contributions, for periods of service by employees from whose earnings no deductions were made for employee contributions to the fund, may be charged to the municipality reserve for the municipality or participating instrumentality.

(i) Contributions by participating instrumentalities shall be determined as provided herein except that the percentage derived under subparagraph 2 of paragraph (b) of this Section, and the amount payable under subparagraph 4 of paragraph (a) of this Section, shall be based on an amortization period of 10 years.

(j) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section, the additional unfunded liability accruing as a result of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly shall be amortized over a period of 30 years beginning on January 1 of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which this amendatory Act takes effect, except that the employer may provide for a longer amortization period by adopting a resolution or ordinance specifying a 35-year or 40-year period and submitting a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution to the fund no later than June 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which this amendatory Act takes effect.

(k) If the amount of a participating employee's reported earnings for any of the 12-month periods used to determine the final rate of earnings exceeds the employee's 12 month reported earnings with the same employer for the previous year by the greater of 6% or 1.5 times the annual increase in the consumer price index-u, as established by the United States Department of Labor for the preceding September, the participating municipality or participating instrumentality that paid those earnings shall pay to the Fund, in addition to any other contributions required under this Article, the present value of the increase in the pension resulting from the portion of the increase in salary that is in excess of the greater of 6% or 1.5 times the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index-U, as determined by the Fund. This present value shall be computed on the basis of the actuarial assumptions and tables used in the most recent actuarial valuation of the Fund that is available at the time of the computation.

Whenever it determines that a payment is or may be required under this subsection (k), the fund shall calculate the amount of the payment and bill the participating municipality or participating instrumentality for that amount. The bill shall specify the calculations used to determine the amount due. If the participating municipality or participating instrumentality disputes the amount of the bill, it may, within 30 days after receipt of the bill, apply to the fund in writing for a recalculation. The application must specify in detail the grounds of the dispute. Upon receiving a timely application for recalculation, the fund shall review the application and, if appropriate, recalculate the amount due. The participating municipality and participating instrumentality contributions required under this subsection (k) may be paid in the form of a lump sum within 90 days after receipt of the bill. If the participating municipality and participating instrumentality contributions are not paid within 90 days after receipt of the bill, then interest will be charged at a rate equal to the fund's annual actuarially assumed rate of return on investment compounded annually from the 91st day after receipt of the bill. Payments must be concluded within 3 years after receipt of the bill by the participating municipality or participating instrumentality.

When assessing payment for any amount due under this subsection (k), the fund shall exclude earnings increases resulting from overload or overtime earnings.

When assessing payment for any amount due under this subsection (k), the fund shall also exclude earnings increases attributable to standard employment promotions resulting in increased responsibility and workload.

(Source: P.A. 96-1084, eff. 7-16-10; 96-1140, eff. 7-21-10; revised 9-16-10.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-205) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-205)

Sec. 7-205. Reserves for annuities. Appropriate reserves shall be created for payment of all annuities granted under this Article at the time such annuities are granted and in amounts determined to be necessary under actuarial tables adopted by the Board upon recommendation of the actuary of the fund. All annuities payable shall be charged to the annuity reserve.

1. Amounts credited to annuity reserves shall be derived by transfer of all the employee credits from the appropriate employee reserves and by charges to the municipality reserve of those municipalities in which the retiring employee has accumulated service. If a retiring employee has accumulated service in more than one participating municipality or participating instrumentality, the aggregate municipality charges for non-concurrent service shall be calculated as follows:

(A) for purposes of calculating the annuity reserve, an annuity will be calculated based on service and adjusted earnings with each employer (without regard to the vesting requirement contained in subsection (a) of Section 7-142); and

(B) the difference between the municipality charges for the actual annuity granted and the aggregation of the municipality charges based upon the ratio of each from those calculations to the aggregated total from paragraph (A) of this item 1.

Aggregate municipality charges for concurrent service shall be prorated based on the employee's earnings. The municipality charges for retirement annuities calculated under subparagraph a of subparagraph 1 of subsection (a) of Section 7-142 shall be prorated based on actual contributions prorated on a basis of the employee's earnings in case of concurrent service and creditable service in other cases.

2. Supplemental annuities shall be handled as a separate annuity and amounts to be credited to the annuity reserve therefor shall be derived in the same manner as a regular annuity.

3. When a retirement annuity is granted to an employee with a spouse eligible for a surviving spouse annuity, there shall be credited to the annuity reserve an amount to fund the cost of both the retirement and surviving spouse annuity as a joint and survivors annuity.

4. Beginning January 1, 1989, when a retirement annuity is awarded, an amount equal to the present value of the $3,000 death benefit payable upon the death of the annuitant shall be transferred to the annuity reserve from the appropriate municipality reserves in the same manner as the transfer for annuities.

5. All annuity reserves shall be revalued annually as of December 31. Beginning as of December 31, 1973, adjustment required therein by such revaluation shall be charged or credited to the earnings and experience variation reserve.

6. There shall be credited to the annuity reserve all of the payments made by annuitants under Section 7-144.2, plus an additional amount from the earnings and experience variation reserve to fund the cost of the incremental annuities granted to annuitants making these payments.

7. As of December 31, 1972, the excess in the annuity reserve shall be transferred to the municipality reserves. An amount equal to the deficiency in the reserve of participating municipalities and participating instrumentalities which have no participating employees shall be allocated to their reserves. The remainder shall be allocated in amounts proportionate to the present value, as of January 1, 1972, of annuities of annuitants of the remaining participating municipalities and participating instrumentalities.

(Source: P.A. 89-136, eff. 7-14-95.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-225 new)

Sec. 7-225. Increases in salary; pension impact statement. Before increasing the salary of a municipal officer, executive, or manager by 12% or more:

(1) the authorities of the respective municipality who are authorizing the increase must contact the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund as to the effect of that increase in salary on the pension benefits of that participant;

(2) the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund must respond with a written "Pension Impact Statement" stating the effect of that increase in salary on the pension benefits of that participant, and any other relevant effect of the increase, including payment of the present value of the increase in benefits resulting from the portion of any increase in salary that is in excess of 6% as provided under subsection (k) of Section 7-172, if applicable;

(3) the authorities authorizing this increase must sign the pension impact statement, acknowledging receipt and understanding of the effects of the increase; and

(4) the municipality must pay the costs associated with the pension impact statement.

The provisions of this Section do not apply to increases attributable to standard employment promotions resulting in increased responsibility and workloads.

(40 ILCS 5/14-103.05) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 14-103.05)

Sec. 14-103.05. Employee.

(a) Any person employed by a Department who receives salary for personal services rendered to the Department on a warrant issued pursuant to a payroll voucher certified by a Department and drawn by the State Comptroller upon the State Treasurer, including an elected official described in subparagraph (d) of Section 14-104, shall become an employee for purpose of membership in the Retirement System on the first day of such employment.

A person entering service on or after January 1, 1972 and prior to January 1, 1984 shall become a member as a condition of employment and shall begin making contributions as of the first day of employment.

A person entering service on or after January 1, 1984 shall, upon completion of 6 months of continuous service which is not interrupted by a break of more than 2 months, become a member as a condition of employment. Contributions shall begin the first of the month after completion of the qualifying period.

A person employed by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly who was a member of this System as an employee of the Chicago Area Transportation Study and makes an election under Section 14-104.13 to participate in this System for his or her employment with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

The qualifying period of 6 months of service is not applicable to: (1) a person who has been granted credit for service in a position covered by the State Universities Retirement System, the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, the General Assembly Retirement System, or the Judges Retirement System of Illinois unless that service has been forfeited under the laws of those systems; (2) a person entering service on or after July 1, 1991 in a noncovered position; (3) a person to whom Section 14-108.2a or 14-108.2b applies; or (4) a person to whom subsection (a-5) of this Section applies.

(a-5) A person entering service on or after December 1, 2010 shall become a member as a condition of employment and shall begin making contributions as of the first day of employment. A person serving in the qualifying period on December 1, 2010 will become a member on December 1, 2010 and shall begin making contributions as of December 1, 2010.

(b) The term "employee" does not include the following:

(1) members of the State Legislature, and persons electing to become members of the General Assembly Retirement System pursuant to Section 2-105;

(2) incumbents of offices normally filled by vote of the people;

(3) except as otherwise provided in this Section, any person appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate unless that person elects to participate in this system;

(3.1) any person serving as a commissioner of an ethics commission created under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act unless that person elects to participate in this system with respect to that service as a commissioner;

(3.2) any person serving as a part-time employee in any of the following positions: Legislative Inspector General, Special Legislative Inspector General, employee of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, Executive Director of the Legislative Ethics Commission, or staff of the Legislative Ethics Commission, regardless of whether he or she is in active service on or after July 8, 2004 (the effective date of Public Act 93-685), unless that person elects to participate in this System with respect to that service; in this item (3.2), a "part-time employee" is a person who is not required to work at least 35 hours per week;

(3.3) any person who has made an election under Section 1-123 and who is serving either as legal counsel in the Office of the Governor or as Chief Deputy Attorney General;

(4) except as provided in Section 14-108.2 or 14-108.2c, any person who is covered or eligible to be covered by the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, the State Universities Retirement System, or the Judges Retirement System of Illinois;

(5) an employee of a municipality or any other political subdivision of the State;

(6) any person who becomes an employee after June 30, 1979 as a public service employment program participant under the Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and whose wages or fringe benefits are paid in whole or in part by funds provided under such Act;

(7) enrollees of the Illinois Young Adult Conservation Corps program, administered by the Department of Natural Resources, authorized grantee pursuant to Title VIII of the "Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973", 29 USC 993, as now or hereafter amended;

(8) enrollees and temporary staff of programs administered by the Department of Natural Resources under the Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970;

(9) any person who is a member of any professional licensing or disciplinary board created under an Act administered by the Department of Professional Regulation or a successor agency or created or re-created after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, and who receives per diem compensation rather than a salary, notwithstanding that such per diem compensation is paid by warrant issued pursuant to a payroll voucher; such persons have never been included in the membership of this System, and this amendatory Act of 1987 (P.A. 84-1472) is not intended to effect any change in the status of such persons;

(10) any person who is a member of the Illinois Health Care Cost Containment Council, and receives per diem compensation rather than a salary, notwithstanding that such per diem compensation is paid by warrant issued pursuant to a payroll voucher; such persons have never been included in the membership of this System, and this amendatory Act of 1987 is not intended to effect any change in the status of such persons;

(11) any person who is a member of the Oil and Gas Board created by Section 1.2 of the Illinois Oil and Gas Act, and receives per diem compensation rather than a salary, notwithstanding that such per diem compensation is paid by warrant issued pursuant to a payroll voucher; or

(12) a person employed by the State Board of Higher Education in a position with the Illinois Century Network as of June 30, 2004, who remains continuously employed after that date by the Department of Central Management Services in a position with the Illinois Century Network and participates in the Article 15 system with respect to that employment; .

(13) any person who first becomes a member of the Civil Service Commission on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(14) any person, other than the Director of Employment Security, who first becomes a member of the Board of Review of the Department of Employment Security on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(15) any person who first becomes a member of the Civil Service Commission on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(16) any person who first becomes a member of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(17) any person who first becomes a member of the Secretary of State Merit Commission on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(18) any person who first becomes a member of the Human Rights Commission on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(19) any person who first becomes a member of the State Mining Board on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(20) any person who first becomes a member of the Property Tax Appeal Board on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(21) any person who first becomes a member of the Illinois Racing Board on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(22) any person who first becomes a member of the Department of State Police Merit Board on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly;

(23) any person who first becomes a member of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly; or

(24) any person who first becomes a member of the Illinois State Board of Elections on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.

(c) An individual who represents or is employed as an officer or employee of a statewide labor organization that represents members of this System may participate in the System and shall be deemed an employee, provided that (1) the individual has previously earned creditable service under this Article, (2) the individual files with the System an irrevocable election to become a participant within 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, and (3) the individual does not receive credit for that employment under any other provisions of this Code. An employee under this subsection (c) is responsible for paying to the System both (i) employee contributions based on the actual compensation received for service with the labor organization and (ii) employer contributions based on the percentage of payroll certified by the board; all or any part of these contributions may be paid on the employee's behalf or picked up for tax purposes (if authorized under federal law) by the labor organization.

A person who is an employee as defined in this subsection (c) may establish service credit for similar employment prior to becoming an employee under this subsection by paying to the System for that employment the contributions specified in this subsection, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of service to the date of payment. However, credit shall not be granted under this subsection (c) for any such prior employment for which the applicant received credit under any other provision of this Code or during which the applicant was on a leave of absence.

(Source: P.A. 95-677, eff. 10-11-07; 96-1490, eff. 1-1-11.)

(40 ILCS 5/22-101) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 22-101)

Sec. 22-101. Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees.

(a) There shall be established and maintained by the Authority created by the "Metropolitan Transit Authority Act", approved April 12, 1945, as amended, (referred to in this Section as the "Authority") a financially sound pension and retirement system adequate to provide for all payments when due under such established system or as modified from time to time by ordinance of the Chicago Transit Board or collective bargaining agreement. For this purpose, the Board must make contributions to the established system as required under this Section and may make any additional contributions provided for by Board ordinance or collective bargaining agreement. The participating employees shall make such periodic payments to the established system as required under this Section and may make any additional contributions provided for by Board ordinance or collective bargaining agreement.

Provisions shall be made by the Board for all officers, except trustees who first become members on after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, and employees of the Authority appointed pursuant to the "Metropolitan Transit Authority Act" to become, subject to reasonable rules and regulations, participants of the pension or retirement system with uniform rights, privileges, obligations and status as to the class in which such officers and employees belong. The terms, conditions and provisions of any pension or retirement system or of any amendment or modification thereof affecting employees who are members of any labor organization may be established, amended or modified by agreement with such labor organization, provided the terms, conditions and provisions must be consistent with this Act, the annual funding levels for the retirement system established by law must be met and the benefits paid to future participants in the system may not exceed the benefit ceilings set for future participants under this Act and the contribution levels required by the Authority and its employees may not be less than the contribution levels established under this Act.

(b) The Board of Trustees shall consist of 11 members appointed as follows: (i) 5 trustees shall be appointed by the Chicago Transit Board; (ii) 3 trustees 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 pension 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 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 Retirement Plan, and may set forth that requirement in the Retirement Plan documents, by-laws, or rules of the Board of Trustees. Each trustee shall have the rights, privileges, authority, and obligations as are usual and customary for such fiduciaries.

The Board of Trustees may cause amounts on deposit in the Retirement Plan 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.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article or any law to the contrary, any person who first becomes a trustee on or after the effective date of this Act shall not be eligible to participate in this Retirement Plan.

(c) All individuals who were previously participants in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees shall remain participants, and shall receive the same benefits established by the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees, except as provided in this amendatory Act or by subsequent legislative enactment or amendment to the Retirement Plan. For Authority employees hired on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees shall be the exclusive retirement plan and such employees shall not be eligible for any supplemental plan, except for a deferred compensation plan funded only by employee contributions.

For all Authority employees who are first hired on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly and are participants in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees, the following terms, conditions and provisions with respect to retirement shall be applicable:

(1) Such participant shall be eligible for an unreduced retirement allowance for life upon the attainment of age 64 with 25 years of continuous service.

(2) Such participant shall be eligible for a reduced retirement allowance for life upon the attainment of age 55 with 10 years of continuous service.

(3) For the purpose of determining the retirement allowance to be paid to a retiring employee, the term "Continuous Service" as used in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees shall also be deemed to include all pension credit for service with any retirement system established under Article 8 or Article 11 of this Code, provided that the employee forfeits and relinquishes all pension credit under Article 8 or Article 11 of this Code, and the contribution required under this subsection is made by the employee. The Retirement Plan's actuary shall determine the contribution paid by the employee as an amount equal to the normal cost of the benefit accrued, had the service been rendered as an employee, plus interest per annum from the time such service was rendered until the date the payment is made.

(d) From the effective date of this amendatory Act through December 31, 2008, all participating employees shall contribute to the Retirement Plan in an amount not less than 6% of compensation, and the Authority shall contribute to the Retirement Plan in an amount not less than 12% of compensation.

(e)(1) Beginning January 1, 2009 the Authority shall make contributions to the Retirement Plan in an amount equal to twelve percent (12%) of compensation and participating employees shall make contributions to the Retirement Plan in an amount equal to six percent (6%) of compensation. These contributions may be paid by the Authority and participating employees on a payroll or other periodic basis, but shall in any case be paid to the Retirement Plan at least monthly.

(2) For the period ending December 31, 2040, the amount paid by the Authority in any year with respect to debt service on bonds issued for the purposes of funding a contribution to the Retirement Plan under Section 12c of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, other than debt service paid with the proceeds of bonds or notes issued by the Authority for any year after calendar year 2008, shall be treated as a credit against the amount of required contribution to the Retirement Plan by the Authority under subsection (e)(1) for the following year up to an amount not to exceed 6% of compensation paid by the Authority in that following year.

(3) By September 15 of each year beginning in 2009 and ending on December 31, 2039, on the basis of a report prepared by an enrolled actuary retained by the Plan, the Board of Trustees of the Retirement Plan shall determine the estimated funded ratio of the total assets of the Retirement Plan to its total actuarially determined liabilities. A report containing that determination and the actuarial assumptions on which it is based shall be filed with the Authority, the representatives of its participating employees, the Auditor General of the State of Illinois, and the Regional Transportation Authority. If the funded ratio is projected to decline below 60% in any year before 2040, the Board of Trustees shall also determine the increased contribution required each year as a level percentage of payroll over the years remaining until 2040 using the projected unit credit actuarial cost method so the funded ratio does not decline below 60% and include that determination in its report. If the actual funded ratio declines below 60% in any year prior to 2040, the Board of Trustees shall also determine the increased contribution required each year as a level percentage of payroll during the years after the then current year using the projected unit credit actuarial cost method so the funded ratio is projected to reach at least 60% no later than 10 years after the then current year and include that determination in its report. Within 60 days after receiving the report, the Auditor General shall review the determination and the assumptions on which it is based, and if he finds that the determination and the assumptions on which it is based are unreasonable in the aggregate, he shall issue a new determination of the funded ratio, the assumptions on which it is based and the increased contribution required each year as a level percentage of payroll over the years remaining until 2040 using the projected unit credit actuarial cost method so the funded ratio does not decline below 60%, or, in the event of an actual decline below 60%, so the funded ratio is projected to reach 60% by no later than 10 years after the then current year. If the Board of Trustees or the Auditor General determine that an increased contribution is required to meet the funded ratio required by the subsection, effective January 1 following the determination or 30 days after such determination, whichever is later, one-third of the increased contribution shall be paid by participating employees and two-thirds by the Authority, in addition to the contributions required by this subsection (1).

(4) For the period beginning 2040, the minimum contribution to the Retirement Plan for each fiscal year shall be an amount determined by the Board of Trustees of the Retirement Plan to be sufficient to bring the total assets of the Retirement Plan up to 90% of its total actuarial liabilities by the end of 2059. Participating employees shall be responsible for one-third of the required contribution and the Authority shall be responsible for two-thirds of the required contribution. In making these determinations, the Board of Trustees shall calculate the required contribution each year as a level percentage of payroll over the years remaining to and including fiscal year 2059 using the projected unit credit actuarial cost method. A report containing that determination and the actuarial assumptions on which it is based shall be filed by September 15 of each year with the Authority, the representatives of its participating employees, the Auditor General of the State of Illinois and the Regional Transportation Authority. If the funded ratio is projected to fail to reach 90% by December 31, 2059, the Board of Trustees shall also determine the increased contribution required each year as a level percentage of payroll over the years remaining until December 31, 2059 using the projected unit credit actuarial cost method so the funded ratio will meet 90% by December 31, 2059 and include that determination in its report. Within 60 days after receiving the report, the Auditor General shall review the determination and the assumptions on which it is based and if he finds that the determination and the assumptions on which it is based are unreasonable in the aggregate, he shall issue a new determination of the funded ratio, the assumptions on which it is based and the increased contribution required each year as a level percentage of payroll over the years remaining until December 31, 2059 using the projected unit credit actuarial cost method so the funded ratio reaches no less than 90% by December 31, 2059. If the Board of Trustees or the Auditor General determine that an increased contribution is required to meet the funded ratio required by this subsection, effective January 1 following the determination or 30 days after such determination, whichever is later, one-third of the increased contribution shall be paid by participating employees and two-thirds by the Authority, in addition to the contributions required by subsection (e)(1).

(5) Beginning in 2060, the minimum contribution for each year shall be the amount needed to maintain the total assets of the Retirement Plan at 90% of the total actuarial liabilities of the Plan, and the contribution shall be funded two-thirds by the Authority and one-third by the participating employees in accordance with this subsection.

(f) The Authority shall take the steps necessary to comply with Section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to permit the pick-up of employee contributions under subsections (d) and (e) on a tax-deferred basis.

(g) The Board of Trustees shall certify to the Governor, the General Assembly, the Auditor General, the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority, and the Authority at least 90 days prior to the end of each fiscal year the amount of the required contributions to the retirement system for the next retirement system fiscal year under this Section. The certification shall include a copy of the actuarial recommendations upon which it is based. In addition, copies of the certification shall be sent to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability and the Mayor of Chicago.

(h)(1) As to an employee who first becomes entitled to a retirement allowance commencing on or after November 30, 1989, the retirement allowance shall be the amount determined in accordance with the following formula:

(A) One percent (1%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each full year of continuous service from the date of original employment to the effective date of the Plan; plus

(B) One and seventy-five hundredths percent (1.75%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each year (including fractions thereof to completed calendar months) of continuous service as provided for in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees. Provided, however that:

(2) As to an employee who first becomes entitled to a retirement allowance commencing on or after January 1, 1993, the retirement allowance shall be the amount determined in accordance with the following formula:

(A) One percent (1%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each full year of continuous service from the date of original employment to the effective date of the Plan; plus

(B) One and eighty hundredths percent (1.80%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each year (including fractions thereof to completed calendar months) of continuous service as provided for in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees. Provided, however that:

(3) As to an employee who first becomes entitled to a retirement allowance commencing on or after January 1, 1994, the retirement allowance shall be the amount determined in accordance with the following formula:

(A) One percent (1%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each full year of continuous service from the date of original employment to the effective date of the Plan; plus

(B) One and eighty-five hundredths percent (1.85%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each year (including fractions thereof to completed calendar months) of continuous service as provided for in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees. Provided, however that:

(4) As to an employee who first becomes entitled to a retirement allowance commencing on or after January 1, 2000, the retirement allowance shall be the amount determined in accordance with the following formula:

(A) One percent (1%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each full year of continuous service from the date of original employment to the effective date of the Plan; plus

(B) Two percent (2%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each year (including fractions thereof to completed calendar months) of continuous service as provided for in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees. Provided, however that:

(5) As to an employee who first becomes entitled to a retirement allowance commencing on or after January 1, 2001, the retirement allowance shall be the amount determined in accordance with the following formula:

(A) One percent (1%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each full year of continuous service from the date of original employment to the effective date of the Plan; plus

(B) Two and fifteen hundredths percent (2.15%) of his "Average Annual Compensation in the highest four (4) completed Plan Years" for each year (including fractions thereof to completed calendar months) of continuous service as provided for in the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees.

The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, to the extent that they affect the rights or privileges of Authority employees that are currently the subject of collective bargaining, have been agreed to between the authorized representatives of these employees and of the Authority prior to enactment of this amendatory Act, as evidenced by a Memorandum of Understanding between these representatives that will be filed with the Secretary of State Index Department and designated as "95-GA-C05". The General Assembly finds and declares that those changes are consistent with 49 U.S.C. 5333(b) (also known as Section 13(c) of the Federal Transit Act) because of this agreement between authorized representatives of these employees and of the Authority, and that any future amendments to the provisions of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, to the extent those amendments would affect the rights and privileges of Authority employees that are currently the subject of collective bargaining, would be consistent with 49 U.S.C. 5333(b) if and only if those amendments were agreed to between these authorized representatives prior to enactment.

(i) Early retirement incentive plan; funded ratio.

(1) Beginning on the effective date of this Section, no early retirement incentive shall be offered to participants of the Plan unless the Funded Ratio of the Plan is at least 80% or more.

(2) For the purposes of this Section, the Funded Ratio shall be the Adjusted Assets divided by the Actuarial Accrued Liability developed in accordance with Statement #25 promulgated by the Government Accounting Standards Board and the actuarial assumptions described in the Plan. The Adjusted Assets shall be calculated based on the methodology described in the Plan.

(j) Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly shall impair the rights or privileges of Authority employees under any other law.

(Source: P.A. 94-839, eff. 6-6-06; 95-708, eff. 1-18-08.)

(40 ILCS 5/22-103)

Sec. 22-103. Regional Transportation Authority and related pension plans.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Affected pension plan" means a defined-benefit pension plan supported in whole or in part by employer contributions and maintained by the Regional Transportation Authority, the Suburban Bus Division, or the Commuter Rail Division, or any combination thereof, under the general authority of the Regional Transportation Authority Act, including but not limited to any such plan that has been established under or is subject to a collective bargaining agreement or is limited to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement. "Affected pension plan" does not include any pension fund or retirement system subject to Section 22-101 of this Section.

"Authority" means the Regional Transportation Authority created under the Regional Transportation Authority Act.

"Contributing employer" means an employer that is required to make contributions to an affected pension plan under the terms of that plan.

"Funding ratio" means the ratio of an affected pension plan's assets to the present value of its actuarial liabilities, as determined at its latest actuarial valuation in accordance with applicable actuarial assumptions and recommendations.

"Under-funded pension plan" or "under-funded" means an affected pension plan that, at the time of its last actuarial valuation, has a funding ratio of less than 90%.

(b) The contributing employers of each affected pension plan have a general duty to make the required employer contributions to the affected pension plan in a timely manner in accordance with the terms of the plan. A contributing employer must make contributions to the affected pension plan as required under this subsection and, if applicable, subsection (c); a contributing employer may make any additional contributions provided for by the board of the employer or collective bargaining agreement.

(c) In the case of an affected pension plan that is under-funded on January 1, 2009 or becomes under-funded at any time after that date, the contributing employers shall contribute to the affected pension plan, in addition to all amounts otherwise required, amounts sufficient to bring the funding ratio of the affected pension plan up to 90% in accordance with an amortization schedule adopted jointly by the contributing employers and the trustee of the affected pension plan. The amortization schedule may extend for any period up to a maximum of 50 years and shall provide for additional employer contributions in substantially equal annual amounts over the selected period. If the contributing employers and the trustee of the affected pension plan do not agree on an appropriate period for the amortization schedule within 6 months of the date of determination that the plan is under-funded, then the amortization schedule shall be based on a period of 50 years.

In the case of an affected pension plan that has more than one contributing employer, each contributing employer's share of the total additional employer contributions required under this subsection shall be determined: (i) in proportion to the amounts, if any, by which the respective contributing employers have failed to meet their contribution obligations under the terms of the affected pension plan; or (ii) if all of the contributing employers have met their contribution obligations under the terms of the affected pension plan, then in the same proportion as they are required to contribute under the terms of that plan. In the case of an affected pension plan that has only one contributing employer, that contributing employer is responsible for all of the additional employer contributions required under this subsection.

If an under-funded pension plan is determined to have achieved a funding ratio of at least 90% during the period when an amortization schedule is in force under this Section, the contributing employers and the trustee of the affected pension plan, acting jointly, may cancel the amortization schedule and the contributing employers may cease making additional contributions under this subsection for as long as the affected pension plan retains a funding ratio of at least 90%.

(d) Beginning January 1, 2009, if the Authority fails to pay to an affected pension fund within 30 days after it is due (i) any employer contribution that it is required to make as a contributing employer, (ii) any additional employer contribution that it is required to pay under subsection (c), or (iii) any payment that it is required to make under Section 4.02a or 4.02b of the Regional Transportation Authority Act, the trustee of the affected pension fund shall promptly so notify the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the Mayor of Chicago, the Governor, and the General Assembly.

(e) For purposes of determining employer contributions, assets, and actuarial liabilities under this subsection, contributions, assets, and liabilities relating to health care benefits shall not be included.

(f) This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly does not affect or impair the right of any contributing employer or its employees to collectively bargain the amount or level of employee contributions to an affected pension plan, to the extent that the plan includes employees subject to collective bargaining.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article or any law to the contrary, a person who, on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, first becomes a director on the Suburban Bus Board, the Commuter Rail Board, or the Board of Directors of the Regional Transportation Authority shall not be eligible to participate in an affected pension plan.

(Source: P.A. 94-839, eff. 6-6-06.)

Section 15. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.35 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.35 new)

Sec. 8.35. 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 97th General Assembly.".