HB0899 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 05966 EFG 36022 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB0899

Introduced 2/2/2005, by Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

40 ILCS 5/6-209	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-209
30 ILCS 805/8.29 new

Amends the Chicago Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows purchase of service credit for up to 2 years of military service during which the fireman was not on a leave of absence from employment. Allows purchase at a reduced interest rate for 6 months. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

PENSION IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

AN ACT in relation to public employee benefits.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing Section 6-209 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/6-209) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-209)

Sec. 6-209. Computation of service.

(A) In computing the service rendered by a fireman prior to the effective date, the following periods shall be counted, in addition to all periods during which he performed the duties of his position, as periods of service for annuity purposes only: All periods of (a) vacation, (b) leave of absence with whole or part pay, (c) leave of absence without pay which were necessary on account of disability, and (d) leave of absence during which he was engaged in the military or naval service of the United States of America. Service credit shall not be allowed for any period during which a fireman was in receipt of pension on account of disability from any pension fund superseded by this fund.

(B) In computing the service rendered by a fireman on and after the effective date, the following periods shall be counted in addition to all periods during which he performed the duties of his position, as periods of service for annuity purposes only: All periods of (a) vacation, (b) leave of absence with whole or part pay, (c) leave of absence during which he was engaged in the military or naval service of the United States of America, (d) disability for which he receives any disability benefit, (e) disability for which he receives whole or part pay, (f) leave of absence, or other authorized relief from active duty, during which he served as president of The Firemen's Association of Chicago, (g) periods of suspension from duty not to exceed a total of one year during the total period of service of the fireman, and (h) a period of time not to exceed 23 days in 1980 in accordance with an agreement with the City on a settlement of strike; provided that the fireman elects to make contributions to the Fund for the various annuity and benefit purposes according to the provisions of this Article as though he were an active fireman, based upon the salary attached to the civil service rank held by him during such absence from duty, and if the fireman so elects, the city shall make the prescribed concurrent contributions for such annuity and benefit purposes as provided in this Article, all to the end that such fireman shall be entitled to receive the same annuities and benefits for which he would otherwise be eligible if he had continued as an active fireman during the periods of absence from duty.

(C) In computing service on and after the effective date for ordinary disability benefit, all periods described in subsection (B) the preceding paragraph, except any period for which a fireman receives ordinary disability benefit, shall be counted as periods of service.

(D) In computing service for any of the purposes of this Article, credit shall be given for any periods prior to January 9, 1997, during which an active fireman (or fire paramedic) who is a member of the General Assembly is on leave of absence or is otherwise authorized to be absent from duty to enable him to perform his legislative duties, notwithstanding any reduction in salary for such periods and notwithstanding that the contributions paid by the fireman were based on such reduced salary rather than the full amount of salary attached to his civil service rank.

(E) In computing service for any of the purposes of this Article, credit shall be given for up to 24 months of service in the armed forces of the United States during which the fireman was not on leave of absence from employment under this Article. In order to receive creditable service for military service under this subsection (E), a fireman must (1) apply to the Fund in writing and provide evidence of the military service that is satisfactory to the Board and (2) make contributions to the Fund equal to (i) the employee contributions that would have been required had the service been rendered as a fireman, plus (ii) an amount determined by the Board to be equal to the employer's normal cost of the benefits accrued for that military service, plus (iii) interest on items (i) and (ii) from the date of first membership in the Fund following that military service to the date of payment. If payment is made during the 6-month period that begins 3 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, the required interest shall be at the rate of 2.5% per year, compounded annually; otherwise, the required interest shall be calculated at the rate of 6% per year, compounded annually.

(F) In computing service for any of the purposes of this Article, no credit shall be given for any period during which a fireman was not rendering active service because of his discharge from the service, unless proceedings to test the legality of the discharge are filed in a court of competent jurisdiction within one year from the date of discharge and a final judgment is entered therein declaring the discharge illegal.

No overtime or extra service shall be included in computing service of a fireman and not more than one year or a proper fractional part thereof of service shall be allowed for service rendered during any calendar year.

(Source: P.A. 86-273; 86-1488; 87-1265.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.29 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.29 new)

Sec. 8.29. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly.

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