(40 ILCS 5/3-133) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-133)

Sec. 3-133. To order payments and issue certificates. To order the payment of pensions and other benefits and to issue certificates signed by its president and secretary to the beneficiaries stating the amount and purpose of the payment.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-134) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-134)

Sec. 3-134. To submit annual list of fund payments. To submit annually to the city council or board of trustees at the close of the municipality's fiscal year, a list of persons entitled to payments from the fund, stating the amount of payments, and their purpose, as ordered by the board. It shall also include items of income accrued to the fund during the fiscal year. The list shall be signed by the secretary and president of the board, and attested under oath. A resolution or order for the payment of money shall not be valid unless approved by a majority of the board members, and signed by the president and secretary of the board.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-135) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-135)

Sec. 3-135. To invest funds. Beginning January 1, 1998, the board shall invest funds in accordance with Sections 1-113.1 through 1-113.10 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 90-507, eff. 8-22-97.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-136) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-136)

Sec. 3-136. To subpoena witnesses. To compel witnesses to attend and testify before it upon all matters connected with the administration of this Article, in the manner provided by law for the taking of testimony in the circuit courts of this State. The president, or any board member, may administer oaths to witnesses.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-137) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-137)

Sec. 3-137. To appoint clerk.

To appoint a clerk and define his duties. No person drawing a pension under this Article shall be employed by the Board.

(Source: Laws 1963, p. 161.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-138) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-138)

Sec. 3-138. To pay expenses.

To provide for the payment from the fund of all necessary expenses, including clerk hire, printing and witness fees.

(Source: Laws 1963, p. 161.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-139) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-139)

Sec. 3-139. To keep records.

To keep a public record of all its proceedings.

(Source: Laws 1963, p. 161.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-140) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-140)

Sec. 3-140. To make rules. To make necessary rules and regulations in conformity with the provisions of this Article, and to publish and transmit copies from time to time to all pensioners and contributors.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-140.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-140.1)

Sec. 3-140.1. To accept donations. To accept by gift, grant, transfer, or bequest, any money, real estate, or personal property. Such money and the proceeds from the sale of or the income from such real estate or personal property shall be paid into the pension fund.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-141) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-141)

Sec. 3-141. Annual report by treasurer. On the 2nd Tuesday in May annually, the treasurer and all other officials of the municipality who had the custody of any pension funds herein provided, shall make a sworn statement to the pension board, and to the mayor and council or president and board of trustees of the municipality, of all moneys received and paid out by them on account of the pension fund during the year, and of the amount of funds then on hand and owing to the pension fund. All surplus then remaining with any official other than the treasurer shall be paid to the treasurer of the municipality. Upon demand of the pension board, any official shall furnish a statement relative to the official method of collection or handling of the pension funds. All books and records of that official shall be produced at any time by him for examination and inspection by the board.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-141.1)

Sec. 3-141.1. Award of benefits. Prior to the board's determination of benefits, the board shall provide, in writing, the total amount of the annuity for a member and all information used in the calculation of that benefit to the Treasurer of the municipality. If the Treasurer is of the opinion that the calculated annuity is incorrect, the Treasurer shall immediately notify the board. The board shall review the Treasurer's findings, and if the Board concurs that an error exists it shall re-determine the annuity so that it is calculated in accordance with the Illinois Pension Code.

(Source: P.A. 95-950, eff. 8-29-08.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-142) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-142)

Sec. 3-142. Payment of benefits - funds insufficient. Any police officer and any eligible surviving spouse, child or children, or dependent parent of the officer to whom the board has ordered benefits to be paid, shall receive a yearly benefit payable in 12 equal monthly installments, which shall be the aggregate amount to which they are entitled.

If at any time there is not sufficient money in the fund to pay the benefits under this Article the city council or board of trustees of the municipality shall make every legal effort to replenish the fund so that all beneficiaries may receive the amounts to which they are entitled.

(Source: P.A. 96-1517, eff. 2-4-11.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-143) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-143)

Sec. 3-143. Report by pension board.

(a) The pension board shall report annually to the city council or board of trustees of the municipality on the condition of the pension fund at the end of its most recently completed fiscal year. The report shall be made prior to the council or board meeting held for the levying of taxes for the year for which the report is made.

The pension board shall certify and provide the following information to the city council or board of trustees of the municipality:

(1) the total assets of the fund in its custody at the end of the fiscal year and the current market value of those assets;

(2) the estimated receipts during the next succeeding fiscal year from deductions from the salaries of police officers, and from all other sources;

(3) the estimated amount required during the next succeeding fiscal year to (a) pay all pensions and other obligations provided in this Article, and (b) meet the annual requirements of the fund as provided in Sections 3-125 and 3-127;

(4) the total net income received from investment of assets along with the assumed investment return and actual investment return received by the fund during its most recently completed fiscal year compared to the total net income, assumed investment return, and actual investment return received during the preceding fiscal year;

(5) the total number of active employees who are financially contributing to the fund;

(6) the total amount that was disbursed in benefits during the fiscal year, including the number of and total amount disbursed to (i) annuitants in receipt of a regular retirement pension, (ii) recipients being paid a disability pension, and (iii) survivors and children in receipt of benefits;

(7) the funded ratio of the fund;

(8) the unfunded liability carried by the fund, along with an actuarial explanation of the unfunded liability; and

(9) the investment policy of the pension board under the statutory investment restrictions imposed on the fund.

Before the pension board makes its report, the municipality shall have the assets of the fund and their current market value verified by an independent certified public accountant of its choice.

(b) The municipality is authorized to publish the report submitted under this Section. This publication may be made, without limitation, by publication in a local newspaper of general circulation in the municipality or by publication on the municipality's Internet website. If the municipality publishes the report, then that publication must include all of the information submitted by the pension board under subsection (a).

(Source: P.A. 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-144) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-144)

Sec. 3-144. Application to certain police officer's annuity and benefit funds. As of July 20, 1949, the pension fund established under this Article superseded and replaced any annuity and benefit fund in operation under "An Act to provide for the creation, setting apart, maintenance and administration of a policemen's annuity and benefit fund in cities having a population of not less than one hundred thousand and not more than two hundred thousand inhabitants", approved June 12, 1931, as amended, which Act was repealed in 1949. Any such superseded fund was merged into and became a part of the pension fund established under this Article.

All annuities, pensions and other benefits granted under any such superseded fund or any pre-existing police pension fund, and claims pending under such funds which were approved by the board of the superseding funds shall be paid by the board of trustees of the funds established under this Article according to the law under which the annuities, pensions or other benefits were granted.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-144.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-144.1)

Sec. 3-144.1. All pensions, refunds or disability pension benefits granted under this Article, and every portion thereof, shall be exempt from attachment or garnishment process and shall not be seized, taken, subjected to, detained or levied upon by virtue of any judgment, or any process or proceedings whatsoever issued out of or by any court for the payment and satisfaction in whole or in part of any debt, damage, claim, demand or judgment against a pensioner, refund applicant or other beneficiary hereunder.

(Source: P.A. 84-546.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-144.2) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-144.2)

Sec. 3-144.2. Mistake in benefit.

(a) If the Fund commits a mistake by setting any benefit at an incorrect amount, it shall adjust the benefit to the correct level as soon as may be practicable after the mistake is discovered. The term "mistake" includes a clerical or administrative error executed by the Fund or participant as it relates to a benefit under this Article; however, in no case shall "mistake" include any benefit as it relates to the reasonable calculation of the benefit or aspects of the benefit based on salary, service credit, calculation or determination of a disability, date of retirement, or other factors significant to the calculation of the benefit that were reasonably understood or agreed to by the Fund at the time of retirement.

(b) If the benefit was mistakenly set too low, the Fund shall make a lump sum payment to the recipient of an amount equal to the difference between the benefits that should have been paid and those actually paid, plus interest at the rate prescribed by the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance from the date the unpaid amounts accrued to the date of payment.

(c) If the benefit was mistakenly set too high, the Fund may recover the amount overpaid from the recipient thereof, either directly or by deducting such amount from the remaining benefits payable to the recipient as is indicated by the recipient. If the overpayment is recovered by deductions from the remaining benefits payable to the recipient, the monthly deduction shall not exceed 10% of the corrected monthly benefit unless otherwise indicated by the recipient.

However, if (i) the amount of the benefit was mistakenly set too high, and (ii) the error was undiscovered for 3 years or longer, and (iii) the error was not the result of fraud committed by the affected participant or beneficiary, then upon discovery of the mistake the benefit shall be adjusted to the correct level, but the recipient of the benefit need not repay to the Fund the excess amounts received in error.

(Source: P.A. 98-1117, eff. 8-26-14.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-144.5)

Sec. 3-144.5. Fraud. Any person, member, trustee, or employee of the board who knowingly makes any false statement or falsifies or permits to be falsified any record of a fund in any attempt to defraud such fund as a result of such act, or intentionally or knowingly defrauds a fund in any manner, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 95-950, eff. 8-29-08.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-144.6)

Sec. 3-144.6. Dissolution and reestablishment of inactive police pension funds. The corporate authorities of a municipality for which a pension fund has been established under this Article may, by resolution or ordinance, dissolve the fund if an independent auditor has certified to the authorities that the fund has no liabilities, participants, or beneficiaries entitled to benefits, and the authorities shall reestablish the fund if a police officer of the municipality seeks to establish service credit in the fund or if reestablishment of the fund is required upon a former police officer's reinstatement of creditable service under subsection (b) of Section 3-110.7 of this Code.

The Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance shall adopt rules regarding the process and procedures for (i) dissolving a pension fund under this Section and (ii) redistributing assets and reestablishing the fund if reestablishment of the fund is necessary.

(Source: P.A. 97-99, eff. 1-1-12.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-145) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-145)

Sec. 3-145. Referendum in municipalities less than 5,000.

(a) This Article shall not be effective in any municipality having a population of less than 5,000 unless the proposition to adopt the Article is submitted to and approved by the voters of the municipality in the manner herein provided.

Whenever the electors of the municipality, equal in number to 5% of the number of legal votes cast at the last preceding general municipal election, petition the city, village or town clerk to submit the proposition whether that municipality shall adopt this Article, the officer to whom the petition is addressed shall certify the proposition to the proper election officials who shall submit the proposition in accordance with the general election law at a regular election in the municipality provided that notice of the referendum, if held before July 1, 1999, has been given in accordance with the provisions of Section 12-5 of the Election Code in effect at the time of the bond referendum, at least 10 and not more than 45 days before the date of the election, notwithstanding the time for publication otherwise imposed by Section 12-5. Notices required in connection with the submission of public questions on or after July 1, 1999 shall be as set forth in Section 12-5 of the Election Code. If the proposition is not adopted at that election, it may be submitted in like manner at any regular election thereafter. The proposition shall be substantially in the following form:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Shall the city (or village or

incorporated town) of.... adopt YES

Article 3 of the "Illinois Pension ------------------------

Code", pertaining to the creation NO

of a police pension fund?

--------------------------------------------------------------

If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition is for the proposition, this Article is adopted in that municipality.

(b) For a period of 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, if a municipality having a population of less than 5,000 has adopted this Article in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a), the municipality may elect to terminate participation under this Article if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) An independent auditor certifies that the fund created under this Article has no liabilities and there are no members or participants in the fund and no beneficiaries entitled to benefits under the fund.

(2) The corporate authorities of the municipality, by ordinance, approve the closing of the fund.

If the conditions of this subsection (b) are met and the closed fund contains assets, those assets shall be transferred to the municipality for its general corporate purposes.

If a municipality that terminates participation under this Article in accordance with this subsection (b) wants to reinstate the fund, then the proposition to re-adopt the Article must be submitted to and approved by the voters of the municipality in the manner provided in subsection (a).

(Source: P.A. 96-216, eff. 8-10-09.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-147) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-147)

Sec. 3-147. Felony conviction. None of the benefits provided in this Article shall be paid to any person who is convicted of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his or her service as a police officer.

None of the benefits provided for in this Article shall be paid to any person who otherwise would receive a survivor benefit who is convicted of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with the service of the police officer from whom the benefit results.

This Section shall not impair any contract or vested right acquired prior to July 11, 1955 under any law continued in this Article, nor preclude the right to a refund, and for the changes under this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, shall not impair any contract or vested right acquired by a survivor prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly.

All persons entering service subsequent to July 11, 1955 are deemed to have consented to the provisions of this Section as a condition of coverage, and all participants entering service subsequent to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly shall be deemed to have consented to the provisions of this amendatory Act as a condition of participation.

(Source: P.A. 100-334, eff. 8-25-17.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-148) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-148)

Sec. 3-148. Administrative review. Except as it relates to any time limitation to correct a mistake as provided in Section 3-144.2, the provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, shall apply to and govern all proceedings for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the retirement board provided for under this Article. The term "administrative decision" is as defined in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(Source: P.A. 98-1117, eff. 8-26-14.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-149) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-149)

Sec. 3-149. General provisions and savings clause. The provisions of Article 1 and Article 23 of this Code apply to this Article as though such provisions were fully set forth in this Article as a part thereof.

(Source: Laws 1963, p. 161.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-150) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-150)

Sec. 3-150. Applicability of home rule powers. A home rule unit, as defined in Article VII of the 1970 Illinois Constitution or any amendment thereto, shall have no power to change, alter, or amend in any way the provisions of this Article. A home rule unit which is a municipality, as defined in Section 3-103, shall not provide for, singly or as a part of any plan or program, by any means whatsoever, any type of retirement or annuity benefit to a police officer other than through establishment of a fund as provided in this Article.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/3-152) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 3-152)

Sec. 3-152. Savings clause. The repeal or amendment of any Section or provision of this Article by this amendatory Act of 1984 shall not affect or impair any pensions, benefits, rights or credits accrued or in effect prior thereto.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/Art. 4 heading) ARTICLE 4. FIREFIGHTERS' PENSION FUND MUNICIPALITIES 500,000 AND UNDER

(40 ILCS 5/4-101) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-101)

Sec. 4-101. Creation of fund. In each municipality as defined in Section 4-103, the city council or the board of trustees, as the case may be, shall establish and administer a firefighters' pension fund as prescribed in this Article, for the benefit of its firefighters and of their surviving spouses, children and certain other dependents. The duty of the corporate authorities of a municipality to establish and administer a firefighters' pension fund shall be suspended during any period during which the fund is dissolved under subsection (c) of Section 4-106.1 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 97-99, eff. 1-1-12.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-102) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-102)

Sec. 4-102. Terms defined. The terms used in this Article have the meanings ascribed to them in Sections 4-103 through 4-106, except when the context otherwise requires.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-103) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-103)

Sec. 4-103. Municipality. "Municipality": (1) Any city, township, village or incorporated town of 5,000 or more but less than 500,000 inhabitants, and any fire protection district having any full-time paid firefighters, and (2) any city, village, incorporated town or township of less than 5,000 inhabitants having a full-time paid fire department which adopts the provisions of this article pursuant to the provisions of Section 4-141. The term "city council" or "board of trustees" includes the board of trustees of a fire protection district and the board of town trustees or other persons empowered to draft the tentative budget and appropriation ordinance and the electors of such a township acting at the annual or special meeting of town electors.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-104) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-104)

Sec. 4-104. Firemen's pension fund act of 1919. "Firemen's pension fund act of 1919": "An Act to create a firemen's pension fund in cities, incorporated towns, villages, townships and fire protection districts having a population of not less than 5,000 nor more than 200,000 inhabitants", filed July 11, 1919, as amended. That Act was repealed in 1963.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-105) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-105)

Sec. 4-105. Board. "Board": The "Board of Trustees of the Firefighters' Pension Fund" of a municipality as established in Section 4-121.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-105a) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-105a)

Sec. 4-105a. Deferred Pensioner. "Deferred pensioner": a firefighter who has retired having accumulated enough creditable service to qualify for a pension under this Article but who has not attained the required age for commencement of the pension.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-105b) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-105b)

Sec. 4-105b. Permanent Disability. "Permanent disability": any physical or mental disability that (1) can be expected to result in death, (2) has lasted for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (3) can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-105c)

Sec. 4-105c. Participant. "Participant": A firefighter or deferred pensioner of a pension fund, or a beneficiary of the pension fund.

(Source: P.A. 90-507, eff. 8-22-97.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-105d)

Sec. 4-105d. Beneficiary. "Beneficiary": A person receiving benefits from a pension fund, including, but not limited to, retired pensioners, disabled pensioners, their surviving spouses, minor children, disabled children, and dependent parents.

(Source: P.A. 90-507, eff. 8-22-97.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-106) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-106)

Sec. 4-106. Firefighter, firefighters. "Firefighter, firefighters":

(a) In municipalities which have adopted Division 1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, any person employed in the municipality's fire service as a firefighter, fire engineer, marine engineer, fire pilot, bomb technician or scuba diver; and in any of these positions where such person's duties also include those of a firefighter as classified by the Civil Service Commission of that city, and whose duty is to participate in the work of controlling and extinguishing fires at the location of any such fires.

(b) In municipalities which are subject to Division 2.1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, any person employed by a city in its fire service as a firefighter, fire engineer, marine engineer, fire pilot, bomb technician, or scuba diver; and, in any of these positions whose duties also include those of a firefighter and are certified in the same manner as a firefighter in that city.

(c) In municipalities which are subject to neither Division 1 nor Division 2.1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, any person who would have been included as a firefighter under sub-paragraph (a) or (b) above except that he served as a de facto and not as a de jure firefighter.

(d) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section, "firefighter" does not include any person who is actively participating in the State Universities Retirement System under subsection (h) of Section 15-107 with respect to the employment for which he or she is a participating employee in that System.

(e) This amendatory Act of 1977 does not affect persons covered by this Article prior to September 22, 1977.

(Source: P.A. 90-576, eff. 3-31-98.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-106a) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-106a)

Sec. 4-106a. Gender. The masculine gender wherever used in this Article includes the female gender unless manifestly inconsistent with the context.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-106.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-106.1)

Sec. 4-106.1. Discontinuation of fire protection district; annexation to fire protection district; dissolution and reestablishment of inactive firefighters' pension funds.

(a) Whenever a fire protection district which has established a pension fund under this Article is discontinued under the Fire Protection District Act, and the municipality assuming the obligations of the district is required to and has established a Firefighters' Pension Fund under this Article, the assets of the fund established by the district shall be transferred to the Board of Trustees of the Firefighters' Pension Fund of the municipality. The Firefighters' Pension Fund of the municipality shall assume all accrued liabilities of the district's pension fund, and all accrued rights, benefits and future expectancies of the members, retired employees and beneficiaries of the district's fund shall remain unimpaired.

(b) If a municipal fire department for which a pension fund has been established under this Article is discontinued and the affected territory is annexed by a fire protection district, and the fire protection district is required to and has established a firefighters' pension fund under this Article, then the assets of the firefighters' pension fund established by the municipality shall be transferred to the board of trustees of the pension fund of the fire protection district. The firefighters' pension fund of the fire protection district shall assume all liabilities of the municipality's firefighters' pension fund, and all of the accrued rights, benefits, and future expectancies of the members, retired employees, and beneficiaries of the municipality's firefighters' pension fund shall remain unimpaired.

(c) The corporate authorities of a municipality for which a pension fund has been established under this Article may, by resolution or ordinance, dissolve the fund if an independent auditor has certified to the authorities that the fund has no liabilities, participants, or beneficiaries entitled to benefits, and the authorities shall reestablish the fund if a firefighter of the municipality seeks to establish service credit in the fund or if reestablishment of the fund is required upon a former firefighter's reinstatement of creditable service under subsection (g) of Section 4-109.3 of this Code.

The Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance shall adopt rules regarding the process and procedures for (i) dissolving a pension fund under this Section and (ii) redistributing assets and reestablishing the fund if reestablishment of the fund is necessary.

(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-107) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-107)

Sec. 4-107. Qualifications.

(a) A firefighter who has not contributed to the fund during the entire period of service, to be entitled to the benefits of this Article, must contribute to the fund the amount he or she would have paid had deductions been made from his or her salary during the entire period of his or her creditable service.

(b) Any person appointed as a firefighter in a municipality shall, within 3 months after receiving his or her first appointment and within 3 months after any reappointment make written application to the board to come under the provisions of this Article.

(c) A person otherwise qualified to participate who was excluded from participation by reason of the age or fitness requirements removed by this amendatory Act of 1995 may elect to participate by making a written application to the Board before July 1, 1996. Persons so electing shall begin participation on the first day of the month following the month in which the application is received by the Board. These persons may also elect to establish creditable service for periods of employment as a firefighter during which they did not participate by paying into the pension fund, before January 1, 1997, the amount that the person would have contributed had deductions from salary been made for this purpose at the time the service was rendered, together with interest thereon at 6% per annum, compounded annually, from the time the service was rendered until the date of payment.

(d) A person described in subsection (h) of Section 15-107 shall not participate in any pension fund established under this Article with respect to employment for which he or she is a participating employee in the State Universities Retirement System.

(Source: P.A. 89-52, eff. 6-30-95; 90-576, eff. 3-31-98.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-108)

Sec. 4-108. Creditable service.

(a) Creditable service is the time served as a firefighter of a municipality. In computing creditable service, furloughs and leaves of absence without pay exceeding 30 days in any one year shall not be counted, but leaves of absence for illness or accident regardless of length, and periods of disability for which a firefighter received no disability pension payments under this Article, shall be counted.

(b) Furloughs and leaves of absence of 30 days or less in any one year may be counted as creditable service, if the firefighter makes the contribution to the fund that would have been required had he or she not been on furlough or leave of absence. To qualify for this creditable service, the firefighter must pay the required contributions to the fund not more than 90 days subsequent to the termination of the furlough or leave of absence, to the extent that the municipality has not made such contribution on his or her behalf.

(c) Creditable service includes:

(1) Service in the military, naval or air forces of the United States entered upon when the person was an active firefighter, provided that, upon applying for a permanent pension, and in accordance with the rules of the board the firefighter pays into the fund the amount that would have been contributed had he or she been a regular contributor during such period of service, if and to the extent that the municipality which the firefighter served made no such contributions in his or her behalf. The total amount of such creditable service shall not exceed 5 years, except that any firefighter who on July 1, 1973 had more than 5 years of such creditable service shall receive the total amount thereof as of that date.

(1.5) Up to 24 months of service in the military, naval, or air forces of the United States that was served prior to employment by a municipality or fire protection district as a firefighter. To receive the credit for the military service prior to the employment as a firefighter, the firefighter must apply in writing to the fund and must make contributions to the fund equal to (i) the employee contributions that would have been required had the service been rendered as a member, plus (ii) an amount determined by the fund to be equal to the employer's normal cost of the benefits accrued for that military service, plus (iii) interest at the actuarially assumed rate provided by the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance, compounded annually from the first date of membership in the fund to the date of payment on items (i) and (ii). The changes to this paragraph (1.5) by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly apply only to participating employees in service on or after its effective date.

(2) Service prior to July 1, 1976 by a firefighter initially excluded from participation by reason of age who elected to participate and paid the required contributions for such service.

(3) Up to 8 years of service by a firefighter as an officer in a statewide firefighters' association when he is on a leave of absence from a municipality's payroll, provided that (i) the firefighter has at least 10 years of creditable service as an active firefighter, (ii) the firefighter contributes to the fund the amount that he would have contributed had he remained an active member of the fund, (iii) the employee or statewide firefighter association contributes to the fund an amount equal to the employer's required contribution as determined by the board, and (iv) for all leaves of absence under this subdivision (3), including those beginning before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, the firefighter continues to remain in sworn status, subject to the professional standards of the public employer or those terms established in statute.

(4) Time spent as an on-call fireman for a municipality, calculated at the rate of one year of creditable service for each 5 years of time spent as an on-call fireman, provided that (i) the firefighter has at least 18 years of creditable service as an active firefighter, (ii) the firefighter spent at least 14 years as an on-call firefighter for the municipality, (iii) the firefighter applies for such creditable service within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1989, (iv) the firefighter contributes to the Fund an amount representing employee contributions for the number of years of creditable service granted under this subdivision (4), based on the salary and contribution rate in effect for the firefighter at the date of entry into the Fund, to be determined by the board, and (v) not more than 3 years of creditable service may be granted under this subdivision (4).

Except as provided in Section 4-108.5, creditable service shall not include time spent as a volunteer firefighter, whether or not any compensation was received therefor. The change made in this Section by Public Act 83-0463 is intended to be a restatement and clarification of existing law, and does not imply that creditable service was previously allowed under this Article for time spent as a volunteer firefighter.

(5) Time served between July 1, 1976 and July 1, 1988 in the position of protective inspection officer or administrative assistant for fire services, for a municipality with a population under 10,000 that is located in a county with a population over 3,000,000 and that maintains a firefighters' pension fund under this Article, if the position included firefighting duties, notwithstanding that the person may not have held an appointment as a firefighter, provided that application is made to the pension fund within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991, and the corresponding contributions are paid for the number of years of service granted, based upon the salary and contribution rate in effect for the firefighter at the date of entry into the pension fund, as determined by the Board.

(6) Service before becoming a participant by a firefighter initially excluded from participation by reason of age who becomes a participant under the amendment to Section 4-107 made by this amendatory Act of 1993 and pays the required contributions for such service.

(7) Up to 3 years of time during which the firefighter receives a disability pension under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, provided that (i) the firefighter returns to active service after the disability for a period at least equal to the period for which credit is to be established and (ii) the firefighter makes contributions to the fund based on the rates specified in Section 4-118.1 and the salary upon which the disability pension is based. These contributions may be paid at any time prior to the commencement of a retirement pension. The firefighter may, but need not, elect to have the contributions deducted from the disability pension or to pay them in installments on a schedule approved by the board. If not deducted from the disability pension, the contributions shall include interest at the rate of 6% per year, compounded annually, from the date for which service credit is being established to the date of payment. If contributions are paid under this subdivision (c)(7) in excess of those needed to establish the credit, the excess shall be refunded. This subdivision (c)(7) applies to persons receiving a disability pension under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111 on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, as well as persons who begin to receive such a disability pension after that date.

(8) Up to 6 years of service as a police officer and participant in an Article 3 police pension fund administered by the unit of local government that employs the firefighter under this Article, provided that the service has been transferred to, and the required payment received by, the Article 4 fund in accordance with subsection (a) of Section 3-110.12 of this Code.

(9) Up to 8 years of service as a police officer and participant in an Article 3 police pension fund administered by a unit of local government, provided that the service has been transferred to, and the required payment received by, the Article 4 fund in accordance with subsection (a-5) of Section 3-110.12 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 102-63, eff. 7-9-21; 103-426, eff. 8-4-23.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-108.1)

Sec. 4-108.1. Transfer of creditable service to General Assembly Retirement System. (a) Any active member of the General Assembly Retirement System may apply for transfer of credits and creditable service accumulated in any firefighter's pension fund under this Article to the General Assembly Retirement System. Such transfer shall be made forthwith. Payment by the firefighters' pension fund to the General Assembly Retirement System shall be made at the same time and shall consist of:

(1) the amounts credited to the applicant through employee contributions; and

(2) municipality contributions equal to the accumulated employee contributions as determined under (1) above. Participation in the firefighters' pension fund shall terminate on the date of transfer.

(b) An active member of the General Assembly may reinstate service and creditable service terminated upon receipt of a refund, by payment to the firefighters' pension fund of the amount of the refund with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per year to the date of payment.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.2) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-108.2)

Sec. 4-108.2. Transfer of creditable service to Article 8, 9 or 13 fund.

(a) Any city officer as defined in Section 8-243.2 of this Code, any county officer elected by vote of the people who is a participant in a pension fund established under Article 9 of this Code, and any elected sanitary district commissioner who is a participant in a pension fund established under Article 13 of this Code, may apply for transfer of his credits and creditable service accumulated in any firefighters' pension fund established under this Article to such Article 8, 9 or 13 fund. Such transfer shall be made forthwith. Payment by the firefighters' pension fund to the Article 8, 9 or 13 fund shall be made at the same time and shall consist of:

(1) the amounts credited to the applicant through employee contributions; and

(2) municipality contributions equal to the accumulated employee contributions as determined under (1) above.

Participation in the firefighters' pension fund shall terminate on the date of transfer.

(b) Any such elected city officer, county officer or sanitary district commissioner may reinstate credits and creditable service terminated upon receipt of a refund, by payment to the firefighters' pension fund of the amount of the refund with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per year, compounded annually from the date of refund to the date of payment.

(Source: P.A. 85-964; 86-1488.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.3) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-108.3)

Sec. 4-108.3. (a) Until July 1, 1989, any active member of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund who is a county sheriff may apply for transfer of up to 80 months of creditable service accumulated in any pension fund established under this Article to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. Such creditable service shall be transferred only upon payment by such pension fund to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund of an amount equal to:

(1) the amounts accumulated to the credit of the applicant on the books of the fund on the date of transfer; and

(2) employer contributions in an amount equal to the amount determined under subparagraph (1); and

(3) any interest paid by the applicant in order to reinstate service.

Participation in such pension fund as to any credits transferred under this Section shall terminate on the date of transfer.

(b) Until July 1, 1989, any such sheriff may reinstate creditable service terminated upon receipt of a refund, by payment to the firefighters' pension fund of the amount of the refund, with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per year, compounded annually from the date of refund to the date of payment.

(Source: P.A. 85-941.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.4)

Sec. 4-108.4. Transfer of creditable service from Article 7 fund.

(a) Any firefighter who was excluded from participation in an Article 4 fund because the firefighter earned credit for that service under Article 7 of this Code and who is a participant in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund may become an active participant in that firefighter pension fund by making a written application to the Board. Persons so applying shall begin participation on the first day of the month following the month in which the application is received by the Board. An employee who makes application for participation shall not be deemed ineligible to participate in the firefighter pension fund by reason of having failed to apply within the 3-month period specified in subsection (b) of Section 4-107.

(b) A firefighter who was excluded from participation in an Article 4 fund because the firefighter earned credit for that service under Article 7 of this Code and who is a participant in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund may also elect to establish creditable service for those periods of employment as a firefighter during which he or she was excluded from participation in an Article 4 fund by paying into the fund the amount that the person would have contributed had deductions from salary been made for this purpose at the time the service was rendered, together with interest thereon at 6% per annum, compounded annually, from the time the service was rendered until the date of payment, less any amounts transferred from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund under Section 7-139.10.

(c) In no event shall pension credit for the same service rendered by an employee be accredited in more than one pension fund or retirement system under this Code. If an employee applies for service credit under subsection (b), then any creditable service time accumulated in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund for the same period must be transferred to the Article 4 fund under Section 7-139.10.

(Source: P.A. 93-689, eff. 7-1-04.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.5)

Sec. 4-108.5. Service for providing certain fire protection services.

(a) A firefighter for a participating municipality who was employed as an active firefighter providing fire protection for a village or incorporated town with a population of greater than 10,000 but less than 11,000 located in a county with a population of greater than 600,000 and less than 700,000, as estimated by the United States Census on July 1, 2004, may elect to establish creditable service for periods of that employment in which the firefighter provided fire protection services for the participating municipality if, by May 1, 2007, the firefighter (i) makes written application to the Board and (ii) pays into the pension fund the amount that the person would have contributed had deductions from salary been made for this purpose at the time the service was rendered, plus interest thereon at 6% per annum compounded annually from the time the service was rendered until the date of payment.

(b) Time spent providing fire protection on a part-time basis for a village or incorporated town with a population of greater than 10,000 but less than 11,000 located in a county with a population of greater than 600,000 and less than 700,000, as estimated by the United States Census on July 1, 2004, shall be calculated at the rate of one year of creditable service for each 5 years of time spent providing such fire protection, if the firefighter (i) has at least 5 years of creditable service as an active firefighter, (ii) has at least 5 years of such service with a qualifying village or incorporated town, (iii) applies for the creditable service within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, and (iv) contributes to the Fund an amount representing employee contributions for the number of years of creditable service granted under this subsection (b) based on the salary and contribution rate in effect for the firefighter at the date of entry into the fund, as determined by the Board. The amount of creditable service granted under this subsection (b) may not exceed 3 years.

(c) This subsection applies only to a person who was first employed by a municipality in 2008 to provide fire protection services on a full-time basis as a firefighter or fire chief, but was prevented from participating in a pension fund under this Article until 2015 by reason of the employing municipality's delay in establishing a pension fund as required under this Article. Such a person may elect to establish creditable service for periods of such employment by that municipality during which he or she did not participate, by applying to the board in writing and paying to the pension fund the employee contributions that he or she would have made had deductions from salary been made for employee contributions at the time the service was rendered, together with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per annum, compounded annually, from the time the service was rendered to the date of payment; except that the granting of such creditable service is contingent upon the consent of the governing body of the municipality and payment to the pension fund by the municipality of the corresponding employer contributions, plus interest.

For the purposes of Sections 4-109, 4-109.1, and 4-114, and notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, for a person who establishes creditable service under this subsection (c), the date upon which the person first became a participating firefighter under this Article shall be deemed to be no later than the first day of employment for which such creditable service has been granted.

(Source: P.A. 100-539, eff. 11-7-17.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.6)

Sec. 4-108.6. Transfer of creditable service to the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago.

(a) Until 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, any active member of the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago may apply for transfer of up to 10 years of creditable service accumulated in any pension fund established under this Article to the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago. Such creditable service shall be transferred only upon payment by such pension fund to the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago of an amount equal to:

(1) the amounts accumulated to the credit of the applicant on the books of the fund on the date of transfer;

(2) employer contributions in an amount equal to the amount determined under subparagraph (1); and

(3) any interest paid by the applicant in order to reinstate service.

Participation in such pension fund as to any credits transferred under this Section shall terminate on the date of transfer.

(b) An active member of the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago applying for a transfer of creditable service under subsection (a) may reinstate credits and creditable service terminated upon receipt of a refund by payment to the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago of the amount of the refund with interest thereon at the actuarially assumed rate, compounded annually, from the date of the refund to the date of payment.

(Source: P.A. 100-544, eff. 11-8-17.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.7)

Sec. 4-108.7. Transfer of creditable service from the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago. Until 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, any active participant in a fund established under this Article may transfer to that fund creditable service accumulated under Article 6 of this Code upon payment to the Article 4 fund, within 5 years after the date of application, of an amount equal to the difference between the amount of employee and employer contributions transferred to the Article 4 fund under Section 6-227.1 and the amounts determined by the Article 4 fund in accordance with this Section, plus interest on that difference at the actuarially assumed rate, compounded annually, from the date of service to the date of payment.

The Article 4 fund must determine the firefighter's payment required to establish creditable service under this Section by taking into account the appropriate actuarial assumptions, including without limitation the firefighter's service, age, and salary history; the level of funding of the Article 4 fund; and any other factors that the Article 4 fund determines to be relevant. For this purpose, the firefighter's required payment should result in no significant increase to the Article 4 fund's unfunded actuarial accrued liability determined as of the most recent actuarial valuation, based on the same assumptions and methods used to develop and report the Article 4 fund's actuarial accrued liability and actuarial value of assets under Statement No. 25 of Governmental Accounting Standards Board or any subsequent applicable Statement.

(Source: P.A. 101-474, eff. 8-23-19.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-108.8)

Sec. 4-108.8. Transfer of creditable service to the State Employees' Retirement System.

(a) Any active member of the State Employees' Retirement System who is an arson investigator, investigator for the Department of Revenue, investigator for the Illinois Gaming Board, or investigator for the Secretary of State may apply for transfer of some or all of his or her credits and creditable service accumulated in any firefighters' pension fund under this Article to the State Employees' Retirement System in accordance with Section 14-110. The creditable service shall be transferred only upon payment by the firefighters' pension fund to the State Employees' Retirement System of an amount equal to:

(1) the amounts accumulated to the credit of the applicant for the service to be transferred on file with the fund on the date of transfer;

(2) employer contributions in an amount equal to the amount determined under paragraph (1); and

(3) any interest paid by the applicant in order to reinstate service to be transferred.

Participation in the firefighters' pension fund with respect to the service to be transferred shall terminate on the date of transfer.

(b) Any person applying to transfer service under this Section may reinstate service that was terminated by receipt of a refund, by paying to the firefighters' pension fund the amount of the refund with interest thereon at the actuarially assumed rate of interest, compounded annually, from the date of refund to the date of payment.

(Source: P.A. 102-210, eff. 7-30-21; 102-856, eff. 1-1-23.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-109) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-109)

Sec. 4-109. Pension.

(a) A firefighter age 50 or more with 20 or more years of creditable service, who is no longer in service as a firefighter, shall receive a monthly pension of 1/2 the monthly salary attached to the rank held by him or her in the fire service at the date of retirement.

The monthly pension shall be increased by 1/12 of 2.5% of such monthly salary for each additional month over 20 years of service through 30 years of service, to a maximum of 75% of such monthly salary.

The changes made to this subsection (a) by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly apply to all pensions that become payable under this subsection on or after January 1, 1999. All pensions payable under this subsection that began on or after January 1, 1999 and before the effective date of this amendatory Act shall be recalculated, and the amount of the increase accruing for that period shall be payable to the pensioner in a lump sum.

(b) A firefighter who retires or is separated from service having at least 10 but less than 20 years of creditable service, who is not entitled to receive a disability pension, and who did not apply for a refund of contributions at his or her last separation from service shall receive a monthly pension upon attainment of age 60 based on the monthly salary attached to his or her rank in the fire service on the date of retirement or separation from service according to the following schedule:

For 10 years of service, 15% of salary;

For 11 years of service, 17.6% of salary;

For 12 years of service, 20.4% of salary;

For 13 years of service, 23.4% of salary;

For 14 years of service, 26.6% of salary;

For 15 years of service, 30% of salary;

For 16 years of service, 33.6% of salary;

For 17 years of service, 37.4% of salary;

For 18 years of service, 41.4% of salary;

For 19 years of service, 45.6% of salary.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, the provisions of this subsection (c) apply to a person who first becomes a firefighter under this Article on or after January 1, 2011.

A firefighter age 55 or more who has 10 or more years of service in that capacity shall be entitled at his option to receive a monthly pension for his service as a firefighter computed by multiplying 2.5% for each year of such service by his or her final average salary.

The pension of a firefighter who is retiring after attaining age 50 with 10 or more years of creditable service shall be reduced by one-half of 1% for each month that the firefighter's age is under age 55.

The maximum pension under this subsection (c) shall be 75% of final average salary.

For the purposes of this subsection (c), "final average salary" means the greater of: (i) the average monthly salary obtained by dividing the total salary of the firefighter during the 48 consecutive months of service within the last 60 months of service in which the total salary was the highest by the number of months of service in that period; or (ii) the average monthly salary obtained by dividing the total salary of the firefighter during the 96 consecutive months of service within the last 120 months of service in which the total salary was the highest by the number of months of service in that period.

Beginning on January 1, 2011, for all purposes under this Code (including without limitation the calculation of benefits and employee contributions), the annual salary 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) 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.

Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly shall cause or otherwise result in any retroactive adjustment of any employee contributions.

(Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-109.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-109.1)

Sec. 4-109.1. Increase in pension.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (e), the monthly pension of a firefighter who retires after July 1, 1971 and prior to January 1, 1986, shall, upon either the first of the month following the first anniversary of the date of retirement if 60 years of age or over at retirement date, or upon the first day of the month following attainment of age 60 if it occurs after the first anniversary of retirement, be increased by 2% of the originally granted monthly pension and by an additional 2% in each January thereafter. Effective January 1976, the rate of the annual increase shall be 3% of the originally granted monthly pension.

(b) The monthly pension of a firefighter who retired from service with 20 or more years of service, on or before July 1, 1971, shall be increased, in January of the year following the year of attaining age 65 or in January 1972, if then over age 65, by 2% of the originally granted monthly pension, for each year the firefighter received pension payments. In each January thereafter, he or she shall receive an additional increase of 2% of the original monthly pension. Effective January 1976, the rate of the annual increase shall be 3%.

(c) The monthly pension of a firefighter who is receiving a disability pension under this Article shall be increased, in January of the year following the year the firefighter attains age 60, or in January 1974, if then over age 60, by 2% of the originally granted monthly pension for each year he or she received pension payments. In each January thereafter, the firefighter shall receive an additional increase of 2% of the original monthly pension. Effective January 1976, the rate of the annual increase shall be 3%.

(c-1) On January 1, 1998, every child's disability benefit payable on that date under Section 4-110 or 4-110.1 shall be increased by an amount equal to 1/12 of 3% of the amount of the benefit, multiplied by the number of months for which the benefit has been payable. On each January 1 thereafter, every child's disability benefit payable under Section 4-110 or 4-110.1 shall be increased by 3% of the amount of the benefit then being paid, including any previous increases received under this Article. These increases are not subject to any limitation on the maximum benefit amount included in Section 4-110 or 4-110.1.

(c-2) On July 1, 2004, every pension payable to or on behalf of a minor or disabled surviving child that is payable on that date under Section 4-114 shall be increased by an amount equal to 1/12 of 3% of the amount of the pension, multiplied by the number of months for which the benefit has been payable. On July 1, 2005, July 1, 2006, July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, every pension payable to or on behalf of a minor or disabled surviving child that is payable under Section 4-114 shall be increased by 3% of the amount of the pension then being paid, including any previous increases received under this Article. These increases are not subject to any limitation on the maximum benefit amount included in Section 4-114.

(d) The monthly pension of a firefighter who retires after January 1, 1986, shall, upon either the first of the month following the first anniversary of the date of retirement if 55 years of age or over, or upon the first day of the month following attainment of age 55 if it occurs after the first anniversary of retirement, be increased by 1/12 of 3% of the originally granted monthly pension for each full month that has elapsed since the pension began, and by an additional 3% in each January thereafter.

The changes made to this subsection (d) by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly apply to all initial increases that become payable under this subsection on or after January 1, 1999. All initial increases that became payable under this subsection on or after January 1, 1999 and before the effective date of this amendatory Act shall be recalculated and the additional amount accruing for that period, if any, shall be payable to the pensioner in a lump sum.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), upon the first day of the month following (1) the first anniversary of the date of retirement, or (2) the attainment of age 55, or (3) July 1, 1987, whichever occurs latest, the monthly pension of a firefighter who retired on or after January 1, 1977 and on or before January 1, 1986 and did not receive an increase under subsection (a) before July 1, 1987, shall be increased by 3% of the originally granted monthly pension for each full year that has elapsed since the pension began, and by an additional 3% in each January thereafter. The increases provided under this subsection are in lieu of the increases provided in subsection (a).

(f) In July 2009, the monthly pension of a firefighter who retired before July 1, 1977 shall be recalculated and increased to reflect the amount that the firefighter would have received in July 2009 had the firefighter been receiving a 3% compounded increase for each year he or she received pension payments after January 1, 1986, plus any increases in pension received for each year prior to January 1, 1986. In each January thereafter, he or she shall receive an additional increase of 3% of the amount of the pension then being paid. The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly apply without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after its effective date.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, the monthly pension of a person who first becomes a firefighter under this Article on or after January 1, 2011 shall be increased on the January 1 occurring either on or after the attainment of age 60 or the first anniversary of the pension 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 pension. If the annual unadjusted percentage change in the consumer price index-u for a 12-month period ending in September is zero or, when compared with the preceding period, decreases, then the pension shall not be increased.

For the purposes of this subsection (g), "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 pension funds.

(Source: P.A. 96-775, eff. 8-28-09; 96-1495, eff. 1-1-11.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-109.2) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-109.2)

Sec. 4-109.2. Minimum pension.

(a) Beginning January 1, 1984, the minimum disability pension granted under Section 4-110 or 4-111, the minimum surviving spouse's pension, and the minimum retirement pension granted to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, shall be $300 per month, without regard to whether the death, disability or retirement of the firefighter occurred prior to that date.

Beginning July 1, 1987, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110 or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $400 per month, without regard to whether the death, retirement or disability of the firefighter occurred prior to that date.

Beginning July 1, 1993, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $475 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993.

(b) Beginning January 1, 1999, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $600 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.

In the case of a pensioner whose pension began before the effective date of this amendatory Act and is subject to increase under this subsection (b), the pensioner shall be entitled to a lump sum payment of the amount of that increase accruing from January 1, 1999 (or the date the pension began, if later) to the effective date of this amendatory Act.

(c) Beginning January 1, 2000, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $800 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.

(d) Beginning January 1, 2001, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $1000 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.

(e) Beginning July 1, 2004, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $1030 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(f) Beginning July 1, 2005, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $1060.90 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(g) Beginning July 1, 2006, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $1092.73 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(h) Beginning July 1, 2007, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $1125.51 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(i) Beginning July 1, 2008, the minimum retirement pension payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension payable under Section 4-110, 4-110.1, or 4-111, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension shall be $1159.27 per month, without regard to whether the firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 93-689, eff. 7-1-04.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-109.3)

Sec. 4-109.3. Employee creditable service.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Final monthly salary" means the monthly salary attached to the rank held by the firefighter at the time of his or her last withdrawal from service under a particular pension fund.

"Last pension fund" means the pension fund in which the firefighter was participating at the time of his or her last withdrawal from service.

(b) The benefits provided under this Section are available only to a firefighter who:

(1) is a firefighter at the time of withdrawal from the last pension fund and for at least the final 3 years of employment prior to that withdrawal;

(2) has established service credit with at least one pension fund established under this Article other than the last pension fund;

(3) has a total of at least 20 years of service under the various pension funds established under this Article and has attained age 50; and

(4) is in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(c) A firefighter who is eligible for benefits under this Section may elect to receive a retirement pension from each pension fund under this Article in which the firefighter has at least one year of service credit but has not received a refund under Section 4-116 (unless the firefighter repays that refund under subsection (g)) or subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1, by applying in writing and paying the contribution required under subsection (i).

(d) From each such pension fund other than the last pension fund, in lieu of any retirement pension otherwise payable under this Article, a firefighter to whom this Section applies may elect to receive a monthly pension of 1/12th of 2.5% of his or her final monthly salary under that fund for each month of service in that fund, subject to a maximum of 75% of that final monthly salary.

(e) From the last pension fund, in lieu of any retirement pension otherwise payable under this Article, a firefighter to whom this Section applies may elect to receive a monthly pension calculated as follows:

The last pension fund shall calculate the retirement pension that would be payable to the firefighter under Section 4-109 as if he or she had participated in that last pension fund during his or her entire period of service under all pension funds established under this Article (excluding any period of service for which the firefighter has received a refund under Section 4-116, unless the firefighter repays that refund under subsection (g), or for which the firefighter has received a refund under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1). From this hypothetical pension there shall be subtracted the original amounts of the retirement pensions payable to the firefighter by all other pension funds under subsection (d). The remainder is the retirement pension payable to the firefighter by the last pension fund under this subsection (e).

(f) Pensions elected under this Section shall be subject to increases as provided in Section 4-109.1.

(g) A current firefighter may reinstate creditable service in a pension fund established under this Article that was terminated upon receipt of a refund, by payment to that pension fund of the amount of the refund together with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per year, compounded annually, from the date of the refund to the date of payment. A repayment of a refund under this Section may be made in equal installments over a period of up to 10 years, but must be paid in full prior to retirement.

(h) As a condition of being eligible for the benefits provided in this Section, a person who is hired to a position as a firefighter on or after July 1, 2004 must, within 21 months after being hired, notify the new employer, all of his or her previous employers under this Article, and the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance of his or her intent to receive the benefits provided under this Section.

As a condition of being eligible for the benefits provided in this Section, a person who first becomes a firefighter under this Article after December 31, 2010 must (1) within 21 months after being hired or within 21 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, whichever is later, notify the new employer, all of his or her previous employers under this Article, and the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance of his or her intent to receive the benefits provided under this Section; and (2) make the required contributions with applicable interest. A person who first becomes a firefighter under this Article after December 31, 2010 and who, before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, notified the new employer, all of his or her previous employers under this Article, and the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance of his or her intent to receive the benefits provided under this Section shall be deemed to have met the notice requirement under item (1) of the preceding sentence. The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly apply retroactively, notwithstanding Section 1-103.1.

(i) In order to receive a pension under this Section or an occupational disease disability pension for which he or she becomes eligible due to the application of subsection (m) of this Section, a firefighter must pay to each pension fund from which he or she has elected to receive a pension under this Section a contribution equal to 1% of monthly salary for each month of service credit that the firefighter has in that fund (other than service credit for which the firefighter has already paid the additional contribution required under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1), together with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per annum, compounded annually, from the firefighter's first day of employment with that fund or the first day of the fiscal year of that fund that immediately precedes the firefighter's first day of employment with that fund, whichever is earlier.

In order for a firefighter who, as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, has not begun to receive a pension under this Section or an occupational disease disability pension under subsection (m) of this Section and who has contributed 1/12th of 1% of monthly salary for each month of service credit that the firefighter has in that fund (other than service credit for which the firefighter has already paid the additional contribution required under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1), together with the required interest thereon, to receive a pension under this Section or an occupational disease disability pension for which he or she becomes eligible due to the application of subsection (m) of this Section, the firefighter must, within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, make an additional contribution equal to 11/12ths of 1% of monthly salary for each month of service credit that the firefighter has in that fund (other than service credit for which the firefighter has already paid the additional contribution required under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1), together with interest thereon at the rate of 6% per annum, compounded annually, from the firefighter's first day of employment with that fund or the first day of the fiscal year of that fund that immediately precedes the firefighter's first day of employment with the fund, whichever is earlier. A firefighter who, as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, has not begun to receive a pension under this Section or an occupational disease disability pension under subsection (m) of this Section and who has contributed 1/12th of 1% of monthly salary for each month of service credit that the firefighter has in that fund (other than service credit for which the firefighter has already paid the additional contribution required under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1), together with the required interest thereon, in order to receive a pension under this Section or an occupational disease disability pension under subsection (m) of this Section, may elect, within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly to forfeit the benefits provided under this Section and receive a refund of that contribution.

(j) A retired firefighter who is receiving pension payments under Section 4-109 may reenter active service under this Article. Subject to the provisions of Section 4-117, the firefighter may receive credit for service performed after the reentry if the firefighter (1) applies to receive credit for that service, (2) suspends his or her pensions under this Section, and (3) makes the contributions required under subsection (i).

(k) A firefighter who is newly hired or promoted to a position as a firefighter shall not be denied participation in a fund under this Article based on his or her age.

(l) If a firefighter who elects to make contributions under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1 for the pension benefits provided under this Section becomes entitled to a disability pension under Section 4-110, the last pension fund is responsible to pay that disability pension and the amount of that disability pension shall be based only on the firefighter's service with the last pension fund.

(m) Notwithstanding any provision in Section 4-110.1 to the contrary, if a firefighter who elects to make contributions under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1 for the pension benefits provided under this Section becomes entitled to an occupational disease disability pension under Section 4-110.1, each pension fund to which the firefighter has made contributions under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1 must pay a portion of that occupational disease disability pension equal to the proportion that the firefighter's service credit with that pension fund for which the contributions under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1 have been made bears to the firefighter's total service credit with all of the pension funds for which the contributions under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1 have been made. A firefighter who has made contributions under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1 for at least 5 years of creditable service shall be deemed to have met the 5-year creditable service requirement under Section 4-110.1, regardless of whether the firefighter has 5 years of creditable service with the last pension fund.

(n) If a firefighter who elects to make contributions under subsection (c) of Section 4-118.1 for the pension benefits provided under this Section becomes entitled to a disability pension under Section 4-111, the last pension fund is responsible to pay that disability pension, provided that the firefighter has at least 7 years of creditable service with the last pension fund. In the event a firefighter began employment with a new employer as a result of an intergovernmental agreement that resulted in the elimination of the previous employer's fire department, the firefighter shall not be required to have 7 years of creditable service with the last pension fund to qualify for a disability pension under Section 4-111. Under this circumstance, a firefighter shall be required to have 7 years of total combined creditable service time to qualify for a disability pension under Section 4-111. The disability pension received pursuant to this Section shall be paid by the previous employer and new employer in proportion to the firefighter's years of service with each employer.

(Source: P.A. 102-81, eff. 7-9-21; 103-426, eff. 8-4-23.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-110) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-110)

Sec. 4-110. Disability pension - Line of duty. If a firefighter, as the result of sickness, accident or injury incurred in or resulting from the performance of an act of duty or from the cumulative effects of acts of duty, is found, pursuant to Section 4-112, to be physically or mentally permanently disabled for service in the fire department, so as to render necessary his or her being placed on disability pension, the firefighter shall be entitled to a disability pension equal to the greater of (1) 65% of the monthly salary attached to the rank held by him or her in the fire department at the date he or she is removed from the municipality's fire department payroll or (2) the retirement pension that the firefighter would be eligible to receive if he or she retired (but not including any automatic annual increase in that retirement pension). A firefighter shall be considered "on duty" while on any assignment approved by the chief of the fire department, even though away from the municipality he or she serves as a firefighter, if the assignment is related to the fire protection service of the municipality.

Such firefighter shall also be entitled to a child's disability benefit of $20 a month on account of each unmarried child less than 18 years of age and dependent upon the firefighter for support, either the issue of the firefighter or legally adopted by him or her. The total amount of child's disability benefit payable to the firefighter, when added to his or her disability pension, shall not exceed 75% of the amount of salary which the firefighter was receiving at the date of retirement.

Benefits payable on account of a child under this Section shall not be reduced or terminated by reason of the child's attainment of age 18 if he or she is then dependent by reason of a physical or mental disability but shall continue to be paid as long as such dependency continues. Individuals over the age of 18 and adjudged to be disabled persons pursuant to Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975, except for persons receiving benefits under Article III of the Illinois Public Aid Code, shall be eligible to receive benefits under this Act.

If a firefighter dies while still disabled and receiving a disability pension under this Section, the disability pension shall continue to be paid to the firefighter's survivors in the sequence provided in Section 4-114. A pension previously granted under Section 4-114 to a survivor of a firefighter who died while receiving a disability pension under this Section shall be deemed to be a continuation of the pension provided under this Section and shall be deemed to be in the nature of worker's compensation payments. The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act of 1995 are intended to be retroactive and are not limited to persons in service on or after its effective date.

(Source: P.A. 93-1090, eff. 3-11-05.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-110.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-110.1)

Sec. 4-110.1. Occupational disease disability pension. The General Assembly finds that service in the fire department requires firefighters in times of stress and danger to perform unusual tasks; that firefighters are subject to exposure to extreme heat or extreme cold in certain seasons while performing their duties; that they are required to work in the midst of and are subject to heavy smoke fumes, and carcinogenic, poisonous, toxic or chemical gases from fires; and that these conditions exist and arise out of or in the course of employment.

An active firefighter with 5 or more years of creditable service who is found, pursuant to Section 4-112, unable to perform his or her duties in the fire department by reason of heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, or any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract, resulting from service as a firefighter, is entitled to an occupational disease disability pension during any period of such disability for which he or she has no right to receive salary.

Any active firefighter who has completed 5 or more years of service and is unable to perform his or her duties in the fire department by reason of a disabling cancer, which develops or manifests itself during a period while the firefighter is in the service of the fire department, shall be entitled to receive an occupational disease disability benefit during any period of such disability for which he or she does not have a right to receive salary. In order to receive this occupational disease disability benefit, (i) the type of cancer involved must be a type which may be caused by exposure to heat, radiation or a known carcinogen as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and (ii) the cancer must (and is rebuttably presumed to) arise as a result of service as a firefighter.

A firefighter who enters the service after August 27, 1971 shall be examined by one or more practicing physicians appointed by the board. If the examination discloses impairment of the heart, lungs or respiratory tract, or the existence of any cancer, the firefighter shall not be entitled to the occupational disease disability pension unless and until a subsequent examination reveals no such impairment or cancer.

The occupational disease disability pension shall be equal to the greater of (1) 65% of the salary attached to the rank held by the firefighter in the fire service at the time of his or her removal from the municipality's fire department payroll or (2) the retirement pension that the firefighter would be eligible to receive if he or she retired (but not including any automatic annual increase in that retirement pension).

The firefighter is also entitled to a child's disability benefit of $20 a month for each natural or legally adopted unmarried child less than age 18 dependent upon the firefighter for support. The total child's disability benefit when added to the occupational disease disability pension shall not exceed 75% of the firefighter's salary at the time of the grant of occupational disease disability pension.

The occupational disease disability pension is payable to the firefighter during the period of the disability. If the disability ceases before the death of the firefighter, the disability pension payable under this Section shall also cease and the firefighter thereafter shall receive such pension benefits as are provided in accordance with other provisions of this Article.

If a firefighter dies while still disabled and receiving a disability pension under this Section, the disability pension shall continue to be paid to the firefighter's survivors in the sequence provided in Section 4-114. A pension previously granted under Section 4-114 to a survivor of a firefighter who died while receiving a disability pension under this Section shall be deemed to be a continuation of the pension provided under this Section and shall be deemed to be in the nature of worker's occupational disease compensation payments. The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act of 1995 are intended to be retroactive and are not limited to persons in service on or after its effective date.

The child's disability benefit shall terminate if the disability ceases while the firefighter is alive or when the child or children attain age 18 or marry, whichever event occurs first, except that benefits payable on account of a child under this Section shall not be reduced or terminated by reason of the child's attainment of age 18 if he or she is then dependent by reason of a physical or mental disability but shall continue to be paid as long as such dependency continues. Individuals over the age of 18 and adjudged as a disabled person pursuant to Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975, except for persons receiving benefits under Article III of the Illinois Public Aid Code, shall be eligible to receive benefits under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-1090, eff. 3-11-05.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-110.2)

Sec. 4-110.2. Secondary employer injury and exposure reporting. The fire chief of a secondary employer, as described in Section 4-118, shall report any injury, illness, or exposure incurred by a secondary employee during his or her employment to the primary employer's pension fund and the Department of Insurance within 96 hours from the time of the occurrence. The reporting requirements shall be consistent with the recommendations found in Chapters 4, 13, and 14 of the NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program.

(Source: P.A. 101-522, eff. 8-23-19; 102-59, eff. 7-9-21.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-111) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-111)

Sec. 4-111. Disability pension - Not in duty. A firefighter having at least 7 years of creditable service who becomes disabled as a result of any cause other than an act of duty, and who is found, pursuant to Section 4-112, to be physically or mentally permanently disabled so as to render necessary his or her being placed on disability pension, shall be granted a disability pension of 50% of the monthly salary attached to the rank held by the firefighter in the fire service at the date he or she is removed from the municipality's fire department payroll. If a firefighter dies while still disabled and receiving a disability pension under this Section, the disability pension shall continue to be paid to the firefighter's survivors in the sequence provided in Section 4-114 if that disability pension is greater than the survivors pension provided under subsection (a) of Section 4-114.

(Source: P.A. 93-1090, eff. 3-11-05.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-112) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-112)

Sec. 4-112. Determination of disability; restoration to active service; disability cannot constitute cause for discharge. A disability pension shall not be paid until disability has been established by the board by examinations of the firefighter at pension fund expense by 3 physicians selected by the board and such other evidence as the board deems necessary. The 3 physicians selected by the board need not agree as to the existence of any disability or the nature and extent of a disability. Medical examination of a firefighter receiving a disability pension shall be made at least once each year prior to attainment of age 50 in order to verify continuance of disability, except that a medical examination of a firefighter receiving a disability pension for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to his or her service as a firefighter shall not be made if: (1) the firefighter has attained age 45; (2) the firefighter has provided to the board documentation approving the discontinuance of the medical examination from at least 2 physicians; and (3) at least 4 members of the board have voted in the affirmative to allow the firefighter to discontinue the medical examination. No examination shall be required after age 50. No physical or mental disability that constitutes, in whole or in part, the basis of an application for benefits under this Article may be used, in whole or in part, by any municipality or fire protection district employing firefighters, emergency medical technicians, or paramedics as cause for discharge.

Upon satisfactory proof to the board that a firefighter on the disability pension has recovered from disability, the board shall terminate the disability pension. The firefighter shall report to the marshal or chief of the fire department, who shall thereupon order immediate reinstatement into active service, and the municipality shall immediately return the firefighter to its payroll, in the same rank or grade held at the date he or she was placed on disability pension. If the firefighter must file a civil action against the municipality to enforce his or her mandated return to payroll under this paragraph, then the firefighter is entitled to recovery of reasonable court costs and attorney's fees.

The firefighter shall be entitled to 10 days notice before any hearing or meeting of the board at which the question of his or her disability is to be considered, and shall have the right to be present at any such hearing or meeting, and to be represented by counsel; however, the board shall not have any obligation to provide such fireman with counsel.

(Source: P.A. 100-1097, eff. 8-26-18.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-113) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-113)

Sec. 4-113. Disability pension option. (a) A firefighter who has not completed 20 years of creditable service and is receiving a disability pension under this Article whose disability continues for a period which when added to his or her period of active service equals 20 years may, if age 50 or over, elect to retire from the fire service by submitting written application to the board. A firefighter exercising such option shall be entitled to continue to receive a retirement pension equal in amount to the disability pension he or she was entitled to as a disabled firefighter on the date he or she was removed from the municipality's payroll for disability. A firefighter electing to exercise such option shall be entitled to the automatic increase in pension provided under subsection (a) of Section 4-109.1.

(b) A firefighter who is receiving a disability pension under this Article who has sufficient creditable service to qualify for a retirement pension and is age 50 or more may elect to permanently retire from the fire service at any time by submitting written application to the board. The salary to be used in the determination of such firefighter's pension shall be based on the salary attached to the rank held by the firefighter in the fire service at the date of the election to retire. All other conditions in the computation of the pension shall be based upon the provisions of Section 4-109 which were applicable to the firefighter while he or she was in active service as an employee. A firefighter electing to exercise such option shall be entitled to the automatic increase in pension provided under subsection (a) of Section 4-109.1.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-114) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-114)

Sec. 4-114. Pension to survivors. If a firefighter who is not receiving a disability pension under Section 4-110 or 4-110.1 dies (1) as a result of any illness or accident, or (2) from any cause while in receipt of a disability pension under this Article, or (3) during retirement after 20 years service, or (4) while vested for or in receipt of a pension payable under subsection (b) of Section 4-109, or (5) while a deferred pensioner, having made all required contributions, a pension shall be paid to his or her survivors, based on the monthly salary attached to the firefighter's rank on the last day of service in the fire department, as follows:

(a)(1) To the surviving spouse, a monthly pension of 40% of the monthly salary, and if there is a surviving spouse, to the guardian of any minor child or children including a child which has been conceived but not yet born, 12% of such monthly salary for each such child until attainment of age 18 or until the child's marriage, whichever occurs first. Beginning July 1, 1993, the monthly pension to the surviving spouse shall be 54% of the monthly salary for all persons receiving a surviving spouse pension under this Article, regardless of whether the deceased firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993.

(2) Beginning July 1, 2004, unless the amount provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection (a) is greater, the total monthly pension payable under this paragraph (a), including any amount payable on account of children, to the surviving spouse of a firefighter who died (i) while receiving a retirement pension, (ii) while he or she was a deferred pensioner with at least 20 years of creditable service, or (iii) while he or she was in active service having at least 20 years of creditable service, regardless of age, shall be no less than 100% of the monthly retirement pension earned by the deceased firefighter at the time of death, regardless of whether death occurs before or after attainment of age 50, including any increases under Section 4-109.1. This minimum applies to all such surviving spouses who are eligible to receive a surviving spouse pension, regardless of whether the deceased firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, and notwithstanding any limitation on maximum pension under paragraph (d) or any other provision of this Article.

(3) If the pension paid on and after July 1, 2004 to the surviving spouse of a firefighter who died on or after July 1, 2004 and before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly was less than the minimum pension payable under paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection (a), the fund shall pay a lump sum equal to the difference within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

The pension to the surviving spouse shall terminate in the event of the surviving spouse's remarriage prior to July 1, 1993; remarriage on or after that date does not affect the surviving spouse's pension, regardless of whether the deceased firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993.

The surviving spouse's pension shall be subject to the minimum established in Section 4-109.2.

(b) Upon the death of the surviving spouse leaving one or more minor children, or upon the death of a firefighter leaving one or more minor children but no surviving spouse, to the duly appointed guardian of each such child, for support and maintenance of each such child until the child reaches age 18 or marries, whichever occurs first, a monthly pension of 20% of the monthly salary.

In a case where the deceased firefighter left one or more minor children but no surviving spouse and the guardian of a child is receiving a pension of 12% of the monthly salary on August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-391), the pension is increased by Public Act 98-391 to 20% of the monthly salary for each such child, beginning on the pension payment date occurring on or next following August 16, 2013. The changes to this Section made by Public Act 98-391 apply without regard to whether the deceased firefighter was in service on or after August 16, 2013.

(c) If a deceased firefighter leaves no surviving spouse or unmarried minor children under age 18, but leaves a dependent father or mother, to each dependent parent a monthly pension of 18% of the monthly salary. To qualify for the pension, a dependent parent must furnish satisfactory proof that the deceased firefighter was at the time of his or her death the sole supporter of the parent or that the parent was the deceased's dependent for federal income tax purposes.

(d) The total pension provided under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section shall not exceed 75% of the monthly salary of the deceased firefighter (1) when paid to the survivor of a firefighter who has attained 20 or more years of service credit and who receives or is eligible to receive a retirement pension under this Article, or (2) when paid to the survivor of a firefighter who dies as a result of illness or accident, or (3) when paid to the survivor of a firefighter who dies from any cause while in receipt of a disability pension under this Article, or (4) when paid to the survivor of a deferred pensioner. For all other survivors of deceased firefighters, the total pension provided under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section shall not exceed 50% of the retirement annuity the firefighter would have received on the date of death.

The maximum pension limitations in this paragraph (d) do not control over any contrary provision of this Article explicitly establishing a minimum amount of pension or granting a one-time or annual increase in pension.

(e) If a firefighter leaves no eligible survivors under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c), the board shall refund to the firefighter's estate the amount of his or her accumulated contributions, less the amount of pension payments, if any, made to the firefighter while living.

(f) (Blank).

(g) If a judgment of dissolution of marriage between a firefighter and spouse is judicially set aside subsequent to the firefighter's death, the surviving spouse is eligible for the pension provided in paragraph (a) only if the judicial proceedings are filed within 2 years after the date of the dissolution of marriage and within one year after the firefighter's death and the board is made a party to the proceedings. In such case the pension shall be payable only from the date of the court's order setting aside the judgment of dissolution of marriage.

(h) Benefits payable on account of a child under this Section shall not be reduced or terminated by reason of the child's attainment of age 18 if he or she is then dependent by reason of a physical or mental disability but shall continue to be paid as long as such dependency continues. Individuals over the age of 18 and adjudged as a disabled person pursuant to Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975, except for persons receiving benefits under Article III of the Illinois Public Aid Code, shall be eligible to receive benefits under this Act.

(i) Beginning January 1, 2000, the pension of the surviving spouse of a firefighter who dies on or after January 1, 1994 as a result of sickness, accident, or injury incurred in or resulting from the performance of an act of duty or from the cumulative effects of acts of duty shall not be less than 100% of the salary attached to the rank held by the deceased firefighter on the last day of service, notwithstanding subsection (d) or any other provision of this Article.

(j) Beginning July 1, 2004, the pension of the surviving spouse of a firefighter who dies on or after January 1, 1988 as a result of sickness, accident, or injury incurred in or resulting from the performance of an act of duty or from the cumulative effects of acts of duty shall not be less than 100% of the salary attached to the rank held by the deceased firefighter on the last day of service, notwithstanding subsection (d) or any other provision of this Article.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, if a person who first becomes a firefighter under this Article on or after January 1, 2011 and who is not receiving a disability pension under Section 4-110 or 4-110.1 dies (1) as a result of any illness or accident, (2) from any cause while in receipt of a disability pension under this Article, (3) during retirement after 20 years service, (4) while vested for or in receipt of a pension payable under subsection (b) of Section 4-109, or (5) while a deferred pensioner, having made all required contributions, then a pension shall be paid to his or her survivors in an amount equal to the greater of (i) 54% of the firefighter's monthly salary at the date of death, or (ii) 66 2/3% of the firefighter's earned pension at the date of death, and, if there is a surviving spouse, 12% of such monthly salary shall be granted to the guardian of any minor child or children, including a child who has been conceived but not yet born, for each such child until attainment of age 18. Upon the death of the surviving spouse leaving one or more minor children, or upon the death of a firefighter leaving one or more minor children but no surviving spouse, a monthly pension of 20% of the monthly salary shall be granted to the duly appointed guardian of each such child for the support and maintenance of each such child until the child reaches age 18. The total pension provided under this paragraph shall not exceed 75% of the monthly salary of the deceased firefighter (1) when paid to the survivor of a firefighter who has attained 20 or more years of service credit and who receives or is eligible to receive a retirement pension under this Article, (2) when paid to the survivor of a firefighter who dies as a result of illness or accident, (3) when paid to the survivor of a firefighter who dies from any cause while in receipt of a disability pension under this Article, or (4) when paid to the survivor of a deferred pensioner. Nothing in this Section shall act to diminish the survivor's benefits described in subsection (j) of this Section.

Notwithstanding Section 1-103.1, the changes made to this subsection apply without regard to whether the deceased firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, the monthly pension of a survivor of a person who first becomes a firefighter under this Article on or after January 1, 2011 shall be increased on the January 1 after attainment of age 60 by the recipient of the survivor's pension and each January 1 thereafter by 3% or one-half the annual unadjusted percentage increase 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 pension. If the annual unadjusted percentage change in the consumer price index-u for a 12-month period ending in September is zero or, when compared with the preceding period, decreases, then the survivor's pension shall not be increased.

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 pension funds.

(Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-114.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-114.1)

Sec. 4-114.1. Pensions to survivors of male and female firefighters. All provisions of this Article relating to pensions to a surviving spouse, children or dependent parents of a firefighter apply with equal force to the surviving spouse, minor children and dependent parents of male and female firefighters without any distinction whatsoever.

(Source: P.A. 83-1440.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-114.2) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-114.2)

Sec. 4-114.2. Reduction of disability and survivor's benefits for corresponding benefits payable under Workers' Compensation and Workers' Occupational Diseases Acts.

(a) Whenever a person is entitled to a disability or survivor's benefit under this Article and to benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act or the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act for the same injury or disease, the benefits payable under this Article shall be reduced by an amount computed in accordance with subsection (b) of this Section. There shall be no reduction, however, for any of the following: payments for medical, surgical and hospital services, non-medical remedial care and treatment rendered in accordance with a religious method of healing recognized by the laws of this State and for artificial appliances; payments made for scheduled losses for the loss of or permanent and complete or permanent and partial loss of the use of any bodily member or the body taken as a whole under subdivision (d)2 or subsection (e) of Section 8 of the Workers' Compensation Act or Section 7 of the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act; payments made for statutorily prescribed losses under subdivision (d)2 of Section 8 of the Workers' Compensation Act or Section 7 of the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act; and that portion of the payments which is utilized to pay attorneys' fees and the costs of securing the workers' compensation benefits under either the Workers' Compensation Act or Workers' Occupational Diseases Act.

(b) The reduction prescribed by this Section shall be computed as follows:

(1) In the event that a person entitled to benefits under this Article incurs costs or attorneys' fees in order to establish his entitlement, the reduction prescribed by this Section shall itself be reduced by the amount of such costs and attorneys' fees.

(2) If the benefits deductible under this Section are stated in a weekly amount, the monthly amount for the purpose of this Section shall be 52 times the weekly amount, divided by 12.

(Source: P.A. 84-1039.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-115) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-115)

Sec. 4-115. Marriage after retirement. (a) If a firefighter marries subsequent to the date of his or her retirement with any pension under this Article, and dies less than 12 months after the marriage, a surviving spouse shall receive no pension on the death of the firefighter.

(b) Beginning January 1, 1989, this Section shall no longer disqualify the surviving spouse of a firefighter who was married to such surviving spouse for at least 12 months and died before November 18, 1985, from receiving a survivor's pension, and any such surviving spouse who is otherwise eligible under Section 4-114 shall begin to receive a surviving spouse's pension on July 1, 1989.

(Source: P.A. 86-272.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-115.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-115.1)

Sec. 4-115.1. Eligibility of children. Dependent benefits shall be paid to each natural child of a deceased firefighter, and to each child legally adopted, until the child's attainment of age 18 or marriage, whichever occurs first, whether or not the death of the firefighter occurred prior to November 21, 1975.

Benefits payable to or on account of a child under this Article shall not be reduced or terminated by reason of the child's adoption by a third party after the firefighter's death.

Benefits payable to or on account of a child under this Article shall not be reduced or terminated by reason of the child's attainment of age 18 if he or she is then dependent by reason of a physical or mental disability but shall continue to be paid as long as such dependency continues. Individuals over the age of 18 and adjudged as a disabled person pursuant to Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975, except for persons receiving benefits under Article III of the Illinois Public Aid Code, shall be eligible to receive benefits under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 95-279, eff. 1-1-08.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-115.2)

Sec. 4-115.2. Dependent beneficiaries; payment to trust. Any benefit to be received by or paid to a dependent beneficiary may be received by or paid to a trust established for such dependent beneficiary if the dependent beneficiary is living at the time such benefit would be received by or paid to such trust.

(Source: P.A. 97-41, eff. 6-28-11.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-116) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-116)

Sec. 4-116. Refund. A firefighter with less than 20 years of service who (1) resigns or is discharged, or has been involuntarily laid off for other than disciplinary reasons for more than 180 calendar days, and (2) has not received any disability pension payments, is entitled to a refund of his or her total contributions during such service. Any firefighter receiving a refund under this Section forfeits and relinquishes all accrued rights in the Fund, including accumulated creditable service. In the event of reemployment in the service, the firefighter shall, prior to commencing service repay to the fund, to the extent that the municipality has not made such contribution on his or her behalf, the amount of any refund which he or she received upon resigning or being discharged. Upon repayment of this refund, the firefighter shall receive credit for the previous years of service for which he or she had received the refund.

(Source: P.A. 84-1039.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-117) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-117)

Sec. 4-117. Reentry into active service.

(a) If a firefighter receiving pension payments reenters active service, pension payments shall be suspended while he or she is in service. If the firefighter again retires or is discharged, his or her monthly pension shall be resumed in the same amount as was paid upon first retirement or discharge unless he or she remained in active service 3 or more years after re-entry in which case the monthly pension shall be based on the salary attached to the firefighter's rank at the date of last retirement.

(b) If a deferred pensioner re-enters active service, and again retires or is discharged from the fire service, his or her pension shall be based on the salary attached to the rank held in the fire service at the date of earlier retirement, unless the firefighter remains in active service for 3 or more years after re-entry, in which case the monthly pension shall be based on the salary attached to the firefighter's rank at the date of last retirement.

(c) If a pensioner or deferred pensioner re-enters or is recalled to active service and is thereafter injured, and the injury is not related to an injury for which he or she was previously receiving a disability pension, the 3-year service requirement shall not apply in order for the firefighter to qualify for the increased pension based on the rate of pay at the time of the new injury.

(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-117.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-117.1)

Sec. 4-117.1. Deduction for group plans. If a municipality sponsors a group hospital and medical plan which includes retired firefighters and their spouses, upon written request of a retired firefighter, deductions shall be made from the pension payments of the firefighter in the amounts which the firefighter is required to contribute toward the group plan in order to obtain such coverage.

Whenever continued group insurance coverage is elected in accordance with the provisions of Section 367f of the Illinois Insurance Code, as now or hereafter amended, the total monthly premium for such continued group insurance coverage or such portion thereof as is not paid by the municipality shall, upon request of the person electing such continued group insurance coverage, be deducted from the monthly pension otherwise payable to such person pursuant to this Article, and shall be remitted by the pension fund making such deduction to the insurance company or other entity providing the group insurance coverage.

(Source: P.A. 84-866.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-117.2)

Sec. 4-117.2. Authority of the fund. The fund shall retain the exclusive authority to adjudicate and award disability benefits, retirement benefits, and survivor benefits under this Article and to issue refunds under this Article. The exclusive method of judicial review of any final administrative decision of the fund shall be made in accordance with Section 4-139. The Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund established under Article 22C of this Code shall not have the authority to control, alter, or modify, or the ability to review or intervene in, the proceedings or decisions of the fund as otherwise provided in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)

(40 ILCS 5/4-118) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-118)

Sec. 4-118. Financing.

(a) The city council or the board of trustees of the municipality shall annually levy a tax upon all the taxable property of the municipality at the rate on the dollar which will produce an amount which, when added to the deductions from the salaries or wages of firefighters and revenues available from other sources, will equal a sum sufficient to meet the annual actuarial requirements of the pension fund, as determined by an enrolled actuary employed by the Illinois Department of Insurance or by an enrolled actuary retained by the pension fund or municipality. For the purposes of this Section, the annual actuarial requirements of the pension fund are equal to (1) the normal cost of the pension fund, or 17.5% of the salaries and wages to be paid to firefighters for the year involved, whichever is greater, plus (2) an annual amount sufficient to bring the total assets of the pension fund up to 90% of the total actuarial liabilities of the pension fund by the end of municipal fiscal year 2040, as annually updated and determined by an enrolled actuary employed by the Illinois Department of Insurance or by an enrolled actuary retained by the pension fund or the municipality. In making these determinations, the required minimum employer contribution shall be calculated each year as a level percentage of payroll over the years remaining up to and including fiscal year 2040 and shall be determined under the projected unit credit actuarial cost method. The amount to be applied towards the amortization of the unfunded accrued liability in any year shall not be less than the annual amount required to amortize the unfunded accrued liability, including interest, as a level percentage of payroll over the number of years remaining in the 40-year amortization period.

(a-2) A municipality that has established a pension fund under this Article and that employs a full-time firefighter, as defined in Section 4-106, shall be deemed a primary employer with respect to that full-time firefighter. Any municipality of 5,000 or more inhabitants that employs or enrolls a firefighter while that firefighter continues to earn service credit as a participant in a primary employer's pension fund under this Article shall be deemed a secondary employer and such employees shall be deemed to be secondary employee firefighters. To ensure that the primary employer's pension fund under this Article is aware of additional liabilities and risks to which firefighters are exposed when performing work as firefighters for secondary employers, a secondary employer shall annually prepare a report accounting for all hours worked by and wages and salaries paid to the secondary employee firefighters it receives services from or employs for each fiscal year in which such firefighters are employed and transmit a certified copy of that report to the primary employer's pension fund, the Department of Insurance, and the secondary employee firefighter no later than 30 days after the end of any fiscal year in which wages were paid to the secondary employee firefighters.

Nothing in this Section shall be construed to allow a secondary employee to qualify for benefits or creditable service for employment as a firefighter for a secondary employer.

(a-5) For purposes of determining the required employer contribution to a pension fund, the value of the pension fund's assets shall be equal to the actuarial value of the pension fund's assets, which shall be calculated as follows:

(1) On March 30, 2011, the actuarial value of a pension fund's assets shall be equal to the market value of the assets as of that date.

(2) In determining the actuarial value of the pension fund's assets for fiscal years after March 30, 2011, any actuarial gains or losses from investment return incurred in a fiscal year shall be recognized in equal annual amounts over the 5-year period following that fiscal year.

(b) The tax shall be levied and collected in the same manner as the general taxes of the municipality, and shall be in addition to all other taxes now or hereafter authorized to be levied upon all property within the municipality, and in addition to the amount authorized to be levied for general purposes, under Section 8-3-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code or under Section 14 of the Fire Protection District Act. The tax shall be forwarded directly to the treasurer of the board within 30 business days of receipt by the county (or, in the case of amounts added to the tax levy under subsection (f), used by the municipality to pay the employer contributions required under subsection (b-1) of Section 15-155 of this Code).

(b-5) If a participating municipality fails to transmit to the fund contributions required of it under this Article for more than 90 days after the payment of those contributions is due, the fund may, after giving notice to the municipality, certify to the State Comptroller the amounts of the delinquent payments in accordance with any applicable rules of the Comptroller, and the Comptroller must, beginning in fiscal year 2016, deduct and remit to the fund the certified amounts or a portion of those amounts from the following proportions of payments of State funds to the municipality:

(1) in fiscal year 2016, one-third of the total amount of any payments of State funds to the municipality;

(2) in fiscal year 2017, two-thirds of the total amount of any payments of State funds to the municipality; and

(3) in fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter, the total amount of any payments of State funds to the municipality.

The State Comptroller may not deduct from any payments of State funds to the municipality more than the amount of delinquent payments certified to the State Comptroller by the fund.

(c) The board shall make available to the membership and the general public for inspection and copying at reasonable times the most recent Actuarial Valuation Balance Sheet and Tax Levy Requirement issued to the fund by the Department of Insurance.

(d) The firefighters' pension fund shall consist of the following moneys which shall be set apart by the treasurer of the municipality: (1) all moneys derived from the taxes levied hereunder; (2) contributions by firefighters as provided under Section 4-118.1; (2.5) all moneys received from the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund as provided in Article 22C of this Code; (3) all rewards in money, fees, gifts, and emoluments that may be paid or given for or on account of extraordinary service by the fire department or any member thereof, except when allowed to be retained by competitive awards; and (4) any money, real estate or personal property received by the board.

(e) For the purposes of this Section, "enrolled actuary" means an actuary: (1) who is a member of the Society of Actuaries or the American Academy of Actuaries; and (2) who is enrolled under Subtitle C of Title III of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or who has been engaged in providing actuarial services to one or more public retirement systems for a period of at least 3 years as of July 1, 1983.

(f) The corporate authorities of a municipality that employs a person who is described in subdivision (d) of Section 4-106 may add to the tax levy otherwise provided for in this Section an amount equal to the projected cost of the employer contributions required to be paid by the municipality to the State Universities Retirement System under subsection (b-1) of Section 15-155 of this Code.

(g) The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability shall conduct a study of all funds established under this Article and shall report its findings to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2013. To the fullest extent possible, the study shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) fund balances;

(2) historical employer contribution rates for each fund;

(3) the actuarial formulas used as a basis for employer contributions, including the actual assumed rate of return for each year, for each fund;

(4) available contribution funding sources;

(5) the impact of any revenue limitations caused by PTELL and employer home rule or non-home rule status; and

(6) existing statutory funding compliance procedures and funding enforcement mechanisms for all municipal pension funds.

(Source: P.A. 101-522, eff. 8-23-19; 101-610, eff. 1-1-20; 102-59, eff. 7-9-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)