Legislation 99th General Assembly (2015-2016)

   Became Public Act 99-0450 on 8/24/2015

HB 3484 makes the following technical changes to strengthen the oversight and administration of the State Universities Retirement System ("SURS"):

• Clarifies that the final rate of earnings formula for a person with more than 36 months of prior service applies to individuals with service credit before September 1, 1941;

• Codifies a definition of "plan year," which is referenced in statute but never defined;

• Clarifies that interest calculated on a refund to reestablish service credit begins on the date the refund was issued by SURS (instead of the date received by the member); and

• Clarifies that both active and inactive participants may purchase optional service credit, but only active participants can purchase optional service credit through pre-tax paycheck deductions.  

HB 3484 makes technical changes for three of the other State-funded retirement systems (General Assembly Retirement System, State Employees Retirement System, and Teachers Retirement System).

   Became Public Act 99-0830 on 8/19/2016

HB 4259 excludes individuals who begin employment with the following employers on or after the effective date from participation under SURS: certain associations of community college boards, the Association of Illinois Middle-Grade Schools, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Illinois Principals Association, the Illinois Association of School Business Officials, the Illinois Special Olympics, and any entity not defined as an employer.

HB 4259 also gives the SURS Board of Trustees final determination as to whether a person is an employee covered under SURS.

HB 4259 makes similar changes to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and the Teachers Retirement System.

   Became Public Act 99-0682 on 7/29/2016

HB 6021 allows eligible SURS retirees to restore their survivors insurance benefits by making a one-time, irrevocable election to repay their survivors refund or additional annuity, along with interest compounded at the actuarially assumed rate of return (7.25%), to SURS.   The compounded interest applies from the date of issuance of the refund to the SURS retiree, or the date of issuance of each additional annuity payment to the SURS retiree, until the date of repayment to SURS.  Full repayment must be made to SURS by the earlier of: 24 months after the date of the election, or the date of the retiree’s death.  Eligible retirees have one year, beginning five months after the effective date of the legislation, to irrevocably elect to restore their survivors insurance

Under HB 6021, an eligible SURS retiree must meet the following requirements:

• He or she retired before June 1, 2011 and received a refund or additional annuity equal to the amount of his or her survivors insurance contributions; and

• He or she is a party to a: (1) civil union or legal relationship that is recognized as a civil union or marriage on or after June 1, 2011; (2) marriage on or after February 26, 2014; or (3) marriage, civil union, or other legal relationship that was not recognized in Illinois as a civil union or marriage until June 1, 2011, a marriage until February 26, 2014, or both.

HB 6021 makes similar changes to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and Teachers Retirement System.

HB 6021 is very similar to House Bill 2520 of the 99th General Assembly, as introduced.

   Became Public Act 99-0683 on 7/29/2016

HB 6030 requires each pension fund and retirement system under the Illinois Pension Code, except for downstate police and firefighters pension funds, to develop and implement, by June 30, 2017, a process to identify deceased annuitants.  

Specifically, HB 6030 requires the pension fund or retirement system to check for deceased annuitants at least once per month and to use common methods to identify deceased persons, including:

• The use of a third party entity that specializes in identifying deceased persons;

• The use of data provided by the Social Security Administration;

• The use of data provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Office of Vital Records; or

• The use of any other method commonly used by other states to identify deceased persons.

HB 6030 also amends the Vital Records Act to require any information contained in the State vital records to be made available, at no cost, to any pension fund or retirement system under the Illinois Pension Code for administrative purposes.

HJR 137 congratulates the State Universities Retirement System on its 75th Anniversary.

HR 146 urges the United States Congress to introduce and pass legislation repealing the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision.  These federal laws reduce the Social Security benefits of certain public sector retirees and their survivors.

HR 531 urges members of the General Assembly not to implement any cuts to State aid to municipalities unless those cuts are matched by equally proportionate reductions in fees for financial services paid by State agencies, including fees for all financial services, including cash management, investment management, and debt management.

Additionally, HR 531 urges that, if the General Assembly cuts State aid to municipalities, all State agencies request that the firms that provide financial services to them reduce fees by an equally proportionate amount.

Lastly, HR 531 urges State agencies not to make any payments to firms that refuse to reduce fees for financial services by the set amount until they have first met all of their other financial obligations, including fully funding public services and State aid to municipalities, paying workers, making pension fund contributions, and paying other legitimate bills.