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There is
a lot of legislation being introduced by our legislators
in Springfield reference to Downstate Police and
Downstate Firefighters Pensions that is of great
interest to everyone. Please review these bills and if
you need more information, go to
www.ilga.gov for a complete copy of the bills.
HB146: Pension Code-State Systems and IMFR: Would
amend the General Assembly, IMRF, State Employees, State
Universities, Downstate Teachers and Judges Articles of
the Illinois Pension Code. This would cap the highest
salary for annuity purposes, final rate of earnings,
final average compensation and final average salary for
current members, participants and participating
employees of the affected systems at $106.800 but
authorizes that amount to be annually increased by the
lesser of 3% or one half of the annual percentage
increase in the consumer price index for the 12 months
ending with the September preceding each November 1st.
(Sponsors: Rep. Franks, Feigenholtz, Yarbrough and
Jones)
HB149:
Pension Code Election of Benefits: This would require
current participants in the State funded pension and
retirement systems to make a one-time, irrevocable
election of one of the following: (1) the traditional
benefit package under the applicable Article of the
Pension Code, (2) the existing benefit package for new
hires or (3) a self managed plan, (if made available by
the participants employer.) This sets forth the
requirements for the self-managed plan and provides that
if such a plan is available it is the default plan if a
participant fails to make an election. In the Articles
creating the State Funded pension and retirement
systems, provides (1) that beginning in the fiscal year
2013, the State’s required contribution is the greater
of 6% of the applicable employee payroll or one half of
the actuarially determined normal cost of the benefit
package for the new hires and (2) that the required
employee contribution will be based on the benefit
package elected by the participant.
(Sponsors: Rep. Cross, Winters, Senger, Pihos, Nybo,
Harris, Tryon and Leitch.)
HB144:
Pension Code-Dissolution of Funds: This bill would
allow the corporate authorities of a municipality, by
resolution or ordinance, to dissolve the Downstate
Police or Firefighter Pension Funds established by the
municipality, if an independent auditor has certified to
the authorities that the funds have no liabilities,
participants or beneficiaries entitled to benefits. It
would require the corporate authorities of the
municipality to re establish those funds if a police
officer or firefighter of the municipality seeks to
establish service credit in the fund or if re
establishment of the fund is required upon a former
police officer or firefighter’s reinstatement of
creditable service. If would suspend the duty of the
corporate authorities of a municipality to establish and
administer a downstate police or firefighter pension
fund while the fund is dissolved.
(Sponsor: Rep. Franks)
HB206:
Pension Code-Article 3-Duty Disability: This would
provide that the monthly pension of a police officer who
receives a line of duty disability pension who was hired
on or before January 1, 1979, who received a line of
duty benefit on or after January 1, 1993 with at least
14 years of service and who applies within 6 months
after the effective date of the amendatory Act, shall be
increased in January of the year following the year he
or she attains age 50 by 3% of the original grant of
pension for each year he or she received pension
payments and in each January thereafter, the police
officer shall receive an additional increase of 3% of
the original pension.
(Sponsor: Rep. McGuire)
HB1872: Pension Code-Transfer-Article 5 to Article
3: This authorizes a person, for 60 days after the
effective date of the amendatory Act, to transfer up to
10 years of creditable service from Article 5 police
pension fund to Article 3 police pension fund after
paying to the Article 3 fund an amount that is
determined by its board to be equal to (1) the
difference between the amount of employee and employer
contributions transferred to the fund from Article 5
fund and the amounts that would have been contributed
had they been made under Article 3 plus, (2) interest on
the difference at the actuarially assumed rate,
compounded annually, from the date of service to the
date of payment.
(Sponsor: Rep. Kosel)
SB1679:
Pension Code-Article 3 and $: This would combine the
Downstate Police, Downstate Firefighters and IMRF into
one Pension Fund, the IMRF Pension Funds. This would
terminate the authority of the Boards and gives the IMRF
the right to make your investments and control your
funds.
(Sponsor: Sen. Schoenberg)
SB206:
Pension Code-Transfer Cost-Article 7 to Article 3:
This provides that if as a result of the publication of
the 2010 federal census data, a city, village or
incorporated town is first recognized as having a
population of 5,000 or more inhabitants and is therefore
required to create a downstate police pension fund, then
an employee of such a city, village or town who
transfers credit from an IMRF fund to that fund shall
pay true cost of establishing service credit in that
fund. It specifies that if the board of trustees of the
applicable downstate police fund determines that the
amount transferred is less than the truce cost to the
pension fund of allowing service credit to be
transferred, then the amount of creditable service the
police officer may establish shall be reduced by an
amount equal to the difference between those 2 amounts,
as determined by the board.
(Sponsor: Sen. Risinger)
There are
two bills that are of interest that could hurt
bargaining units that everyone should be aware of.
HB1673: This bill would amend the Illinois Public
Relations Act and provide that arbitration panels
hearing security employee, peace officer. Firefighter
and paramedic disputes must not take into consideration
the ability of a unit of government to raise taxes or
impose new taxes when determining the financial ability
of that unit of government to pay the costs associated
with those employees’ wages and other conditions of
employment.
HB1849: With respect to peace officers, firefighters
and security employees, this would provide that in the
absence of an agreement, an arbitration panel’s
consideration of the unit of government’s ability to
meet costs is limited to existing revenues. This also
requires the arbitration panel to consider the impact of
an arbitration award on the municipality’s staffing and
funding of other operations.
(Both of these bills are sponsored by Rep. Winters)
And last,
there is one bills HB148 that pertain to Concealed
Carry that many of you have asked about.
In other
news, this year’s Annual Conference is set for September
23 and 24, 2011, at the Holiday Inn, Rock Island,
Illinois. Room rates are $70.00 per night, plus tax.
This is an election year so I hope everyone will come
and vote for the candidate of their choice. Call and
make your room reservations now.
And last
of all, I hope that everyone is doing their best in
signing up new members. Membership is down and we need
your help. This is your organization and it’s only as
good as you make it. Spread the word and let’s keep that
Association the best Law Enforcement Organization in the
State.
If you
have any questions, complaints or suggestions, please
feel free to contact me at any time.
Be
careful and God Bless:
Respectfully:
Edward W. Hoes
Executive Director
Illinois Police Association |
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