State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
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91_HB1259

 
                                               LRB9101886EGfg

 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the Illinois Pension Code by changing
 2    Sections 15-111, 15-136.4, 15-139, 15-158.2, 20-121,  20-123,
 3    20-124, 20-125, and 20-131.

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

 6        Section 5.  The  Illinois  Pension  Code  is  amended  by
 7    changing Sections 15-111, 15-136.4, 15-139, 15-158.2, 20-121,
 8    20-123, 20-124, 20-125, and 20-131 as follows:

 9        (40 ILCS 5/15-111) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-111)
10        Sec.  15-111.   Earnings.  "Earnings": An amount paid for
11    personal services equal to the sum of the basic  compensation
12    plus  extra  compensation  for  summer  teaching, overtime or
13    other extra service.   For  periods  for  which  an  employee
14    receives  service  credit  under  subsection  (c)  of Section
15    15-113.1 or Section 15-113.2, earnings are equal to the basic
16    compensation on which contributions are paid by the  employee
17    during  such  periods.   Compensation for employment which is
18    irregular, intermittent and temporary shall not be considered
19    earnings, unless the participant is also  receiving  earnings
20    from the employer as an employee under Section 15-107.
21        With  respect to transition pay paid by the University of
22    Illinois  to  a  person  who  was  a  participating  employee
23    employed  in  the  fire  department  of  the  University   of
24    Illinois's  Champaign-Urbana  campus immediately prior to the
25    elimination of that fire department:
26             (1)  "Earnings" includes transition pay paid to  the
27        employee   on   or  after  the  effective  date  of  this
28        amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.
29             (2)  "Earnings" includes transition pay paid to  the
30        employee before the effective date of this amendatory Act
31        of  the  91st  General  Assembly  only  if  (i)  employee
 
                            -2-                LRB9101886EGfg
 1        contributions  under  Section  15-157  have been withheld
 2        from that transition pay or (ii) the employee pays to the
 3        System before January  1,  2000  an  amount  representing
 4        employee  contributions  under  Section  15-157  on  that
 5        transition  pay.   Employee contributions under item (ii)
 6        may be paid in a lump sum, by withholding from additional
 7        transition pay accruing before January 1, 2000, or in any
 8        other manner approved by the System.  Upon payment of the
 9        employee   contributions   on   transition    pay,    the
10        corresponding employer contributions become an obligation
11        of the State.
12    (Source: P.A. 87-8.)

13        (40 ILCS 5/15-136.4)
14        Sec.  15-136.4.  Retirement  and  Survivor Benefits Under
15    Portable Benefit Package.
16        (a)  This Section 15-136.4 describes the form of  annuity
17    and  survivor  benefits  available  to  a participant who has
18    elected the portable benefit package and  has  completed  the
19    one-year  waiting  period  required  under  subsection (e) of
20    Section 15-134.5.  For purposes of  this  Section,  the  term
21    "eligible  spouse" means the husband or wife of a participant
22    to  whom  the  participant  is  married  on  the   date   the
23    participant's  retirement  annuity  begins, provided however,
24    that if the participant should die prior to the  commencement
25    of  retirement annuity benefits, then "eligible spouse" means
26    the husband or wife, if any,  to  whom  the  participant  was
27    married  throughout the one-year period preceding the date of
28    his or her death.
29        (b)  This subsection (b) describes  the  normal  form  of
30    annuity  payable  to  a  participant  subject to this Section
31    15-136.4.  If the participant is unmarried on the date his or
32    her annuity payments  commence,  then  the  annuity  payments
33    shall  be  made  in  the  form  of  a  single-life annuity as
 
                            -3-                LRB9101886EGfg
 1    described in Section 15-118.  If the participant  is  married
 2    on  the  date  his or her annuity payments commence, then the
 3    annuity payments shall be paid in the  form  of  a  qualified
 4    joint  and  survivor annuity that is the actuarial equivalent
 5    of the single-life annuity.  Under the "qualified  joint  and
 6    survivor  annuity",  a  reduced  amount  shall be paid to the
 7    participant for his or her lifetime and his or  her  eligible
 8    spouse,  if  surviving  at  the participant's death, shall be
 9    entitled  to  receive  thereafter  a  lifetime   survivorship
10    annuity  in  a  monthly  amount  equal  to 50% of the reduced
11    monthly amount that was payable to the participant.  The last
12    payment of a qualified joint and survivor  annuity  shall  be
13    made  as  of the first day of the month in which the death of
14    the survivor occurs.
15        (c)  Instead of the normal form of annuity that would  be
16    paid under subsection (b), a participant may elect in writing
17    within the 90-day period prior to the date his or her annuity
18    payments commence to waive the normal form of annuity payment
19    and  receive  an  optional  form  of  annuity as described in
20    subsection (h).  If the participant is married and elects  an
21    optional  form  of  annuity under subsection (h) other than a
22    joint  and  survivor  annuity  with   the   eligible   spouse
23    designated  as  the  contingent annuitant, then such election
24    shall require the consent of his or her  eligible  spouse  in
25    the  manner  described in subsection (d).  At any time during
26    the  90-day  period  preceding  the  date  the  participant's
27    annuity commences, the participant may  revoke  the  optional
28    form elected under this subsection (c) and reinstate coverage
29    under  the  qualified  joint and survivor annuity without the
30    spouse's consent, but an election to revoke the optional form
31    elected  and  elect  a  new  optional  form  or  designate  a
32    different contingent annuitant shall not be effective without
33    the eligible spouse's consent.
34        (d)   The eligible spouse's consent to any election  made
 
                            -4-                LRB9101886EGfg
 1    pursuant  to this Section that requires the eligible spouse's
 2    consent shall be in writing and shall acknowledge the  effect
 3    of the consent.  In addition, the eligible spouse's signature
 4    on  the written consent must be witnessed by a notary public.
 5    The eligible spouse's consent need not  be  obtained  if  the
 6    system  is  satisfied  that there is no eligible spouse, that
 7    the eligible spouse cannot be  located,  or  because  of  any
 8    other  relevant  circumstances.  An eligible spouse's consent
 9    under  this  Section  is  valid  only  with  respect  to  the
10    specified  optional  form  of  payment  and,  if  applicable,
11    contingent annuitant designated by the participant.   If  the
12    optional  form  of  payment  or  the  contingent annuitant is
13    subsequently changed (other  than  by  a  revocation  of  the
14    optional  form  and  reinstatement of the qualified joint and
15    survivor annuity), a new consent by the  eligible  spouse  is
16    required.   The eligible spouse's consent to an election made
17    by a participant pursuant to this Section, once made, may not
18    be revoked by the eligible spouse.
19        (e)   Within a reasonable period of  time  preceding  the
20    date  a  participant's annuity commences, a participant shall
21    be supplied with a written explanation of (1) the  terms  and
22    conditions   of  the  normal  form  single-life  annuity  and
23    qualified joint and survivor annuity, (2)  the  participant's
24    right  to  elect a single-life annuity or an optional form of
25    payment under subsection (h) subject to his or  her  eligible
26    spouse's  consent,  if  applicable, and (3) the participant's
27    right to reinstate coverage under  the  qualified  joint  and
28    survivor  annuity  prior  to  his or her annuity commencement
29    date by revoking an election of an optional form  of  benefit
30    under subsection (h).
31        (f)  If  a  married  participant with at least 5 years of
32    service dies prior to commencing retirement annuity  payments
33    and prior to taking a refund under Section 15-154, his or her
34    eligible  spouse  is  entitled  to  receive  a pre-retirement
 
                            -5-                LRB9101886EGfg
 1    survivor annuity, if there is not then in effect a waiver  of
 2    the  pre-retirement  survivor  annuity.   The  pre-retirement
 3    survivor  annuity  payable  under  this subsection shall be a
 4    monthly annuity  payable  for  the  eligible  spouse's  life,
 5    commencing  as  of  the beginning of the month next following
 6    the later of the date of the participant's death or the  date
 7    the   participant   would  have  first  met  the  eligibility
 8    requirements  for  retirement,  and  continuing  through  the
 9    beginning of the month in which the  death  of  the  eligible
10    spouse  occurs.   The  monthly  amount  payable to the spouse
11    under the pre-retirement survivor annuity shall be  equal  to
12    the  monthly  amount  that  would  be  payable  as a survivor
13    annuity  under  the  qualified  joint  and  survivor  annuity
14    described in  subsection  (b)  if:  (1)  in  the  case  of  a
15    participant  who  dies  on  or  after  the  date on which the
16    participant  has  met  the   eligibility   requirements   for
17    retirement,  the  participant  had  retired with an immediate
18    qualified joint and survivor annuity on the  day  before  the
19    participant's  date   of  death;  or  (2)  in  the  case of a
20    participant who dies before the earliest date  on  which  the
21    participant  would  have met the eligibility requirements for
22    retirement age, the participant had separated from service on
23    the date of death, survived to the  earliest  retirement  age
24    based  on  service prior to his or her death, retired with an
25    immediate  qualified  joint  and  survivor  annuity  at   the
26    earliest retirement age, and died on the day after the day on
27    which  the  participant  would  have  attained  the  earliest
28    retirement age.
29        (g)  A  married participant who has not retired may elect
30    at any time to  waive  the  pre-retirement  survivor  annuity
31    described in subsection (f).  Any such election shall require
32    the  consent  of  the  participant's  eligible  spouse in the
33    manner  described  in  subsection  (e).   A  waiver  of   the
34    pre-retirement  survivor  annuity shall increase the lump sum
 
                            -6-                LRB9101886EGfg
 1    death benefit payable under subsection (b) of Section 15-141.
 2    Prior to electing any waiver of the  pre-retirement  survivor
 3    annuity,  the  participant  shall  be provided with a written
 4    explanation  of  (1)  the  terms  and   conditions   of   the
 5    pre-retirement   survivor  annuity  and  the  death  benefits
 6    payable  from  the  system  both   with   and   without   the
 7    pre-retirement  survivor annuity, (2) the participant's right
 8    to elect a waiver  of  the  pre-retirement  survivor  annuity
 9    coverage  subject to his or her spouse's consent, and (3) the
10    participant's  right  to  reinstate  pre-retirement  survivor
11    annuity coverage at any time by revoking a  prior  waiver  of
12    such coverage.
13        (h)  By  filing  a  timely  election  with  the system, a
14    participant who will be  eligible  to  receive  a  retirement
15    annuity  under  this  Section  may  waive  the normal form of
16    annuity payment  described  in  subsection  (b),  subject  to
17    obtaining  the  consent  of  his  or  her eligible spouse, if
18    applicable, and elect to receive any  one  of  the  following
19    optional annuity forms:
20             (1)   Joint   and  Survivor  Annuity  Options:   The
21        participant  may  elect  to  receive  a  reduced  annuity
22        payable for his or  her  life  and  to  have  a  lifetime
23        survivorship  annuity  in  a monthly amount equal to 50%,
24        75%, or 100% (as elected  by  the  participant)  of  that
25        reduced   monthly   amount,   to   be   paid   after  the
26        participant's death to his or her  contingent  annuitant,
27        if  the  contingent annuitant is alive at the time of the
28        participant's death.
29             (2)  Single-Life  Annuity   Option   (optional   for
30        married  participants).   The  participant  may  elect to
31        receive a single-life annuity payable for his or her life
32        only.
33    All optional  forms  shall  be  in  an  amount  that  is  the
34    actuarial equivalent of the single-life annuity.
 
                            -7-                LRB9101886EGfg
 1        For  the  purposes  of this Section, the term "contingent
 2    annuitant" means the  beneficiary  who  is  designated  by  a
 3    participant  at  the  time the participant elects a joint and
 4    survivor annuity to receive the lifetime survivorship annuity
 5    in the event the beneficiary survives the participant at  the
 6    participant's death.
 7        (i)  Under  no  circumstances  may  an option be elected,
 8    changed,  or  revoked  after  the  date   the   participant's
 9    retirement annuity commences.
10        (j)  An  election  made  pursuant to subsection (h) shall
11    become inoperative  if  the  participant  or  the  contingent
12    annuitant  dies  before  the  date  the participant's annuity
13    payments commence, or if the  eligible  spouse's  consent  is
14    required and not given.
15        (k)  For  purposes  of applying the provisions of Section
16    20-123 of this Code, the portable benefit  package  shall  be
17    treated as if it were provided by a participating system that
18    has no survivor's annuity benefit.
19    (Source: P.A. 90-448, eff. 8-16-97; 90-766, eff. 8-14-98.)

20        (40 ILCS 5/15-139) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-139)
21        Sec.   15-139.    Retirement   annuities;   cancellation;
22    suspended during employment.
23        (a)  If   an  annuitant  returns  to  employment  for  an
24    employer within 60 days after the beginning of the retirement
25    annuity payment  period,  the  retirement  annuity  shall  be
26    cancelled,  and  the annuitant shall refund to the System the
27    total amount of the retirement annuity payments which  he  or
28    she  received.  If  the  retirement annuity is cancelled, the
29    participant shall continue to participate in the System.
30        (b)  If an annuitant retires prior to age 60 and receives
31    or becomes entitled to receive during any month  compensation
32    in  excess  of  the  monthly  retirement annuity for services
33    performed after the date of retirement for any employer under
 
                            -8-                LRB9101886EGfg
 1    this  System,  the  State  Employees'  Retirement  System  of
 2    Illinois, or the Teachers' Retirement System of the State  of
 3    Illinois,  that  portion  of  the  monthly retirement annuity
 4    provided by employer contributions shall not be payable.
 5        If an annuitant retires at age 60 or over and receives or
 6    becomes  entitled  to  receive  during  any   academic   year
 7    compensation  in  excess of the difference between his or her
 8    highest annual earnings prior to retirement and  his  or  her
 9    annual retirement annuity computed under Rule 1, Rule 2, Rule
10    3  or  Rule  4 of Section 15-136 for services performed after
11    the date of retirement for any employer  under  this  System,
12    that  portion  of  the monthly retirement annuity provided by
13    employer contributions shall be reduced by an amount equal to
14    the compensation that exceeds such difference.
15        However, any  remuneration  received  for  serving  as  a
16    member  of  the  Illinois  Educational  Labor Relations Board
17    shall be excluded from "compensation"  for  the  purposes  of
18    this  subsection (b), and serving as a member of the Illinois
19    Educational Labor Relations Board shall not be deemed to be a
20    return to employment for the purposes of this  Section.  This
21    provision  applies  without  regard  to  whether  service was
22    terminated prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act
23    of 1991.
24        (c)  If an employer certifies that an annuitant has  been
25    reemployed  on  a  permanent  and  continuous  basis  or in a
26    position in which the annuitant is expected to serve  for  at
27    least  9 months, the annuitant shall resume his or her status
28    as a participating employee and  shall  be  entitled  to  all
29    rights applicable to participating employees upon filing with
30    the  board  an election to forego all annuity payments during
31    the period of reemployment. Upon subsequent  retirement,  the
32    retirement  annuity  shall  consist  of the annuity which was
33    terminated  by  the   reemployment,   plus   the   additional
34    retirement  annuity  based  upon  service  granted during the
 
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 1    period of reemployment, but the combined  retirement  annuity
 2    shall  not  exceed the maximum annuity applicable on the date
 3    of the last retirement.
 4        The total service and earnings credited before and  after
 5    the  initial  date  of  retirement  shall  be  considered  in
 6    determining  eligibility  of  the  employee or the employee's
 7    beneficiary  to  benefits  under   this   Article,   and   in
 8    calculating final rate of earnings.
 9        In determining the death benefit payable to a beneficiary
10    of  an  annuitant  who again becomes a participating employee
11    under  this  Section,  accumulated  normal   and   additional
12    contributions   shall   be  considered  as  the  sum  of  the
13    accumulated normal and additional contributions at  the  date
14    of   initial   retirement  and  the  accumulated  normal  and
15    additional contributions credited after that date,  less  the
16    sum of the annuity payments received by the annuitant.
17        The  survivors  insurance benefits provided under Section
18    15-145 shall not be applicable to an  annuitant  who  resumes
19    his  or  her  status  as a participating employee, unless the
20    annuitant, at the time of initial retirement, has a survivors
21    insurance beneficiary who could qualify for such benefits.
22        If the annuitant's employment is  terminated  because  of
23    circumstances  other than death before 9 months from the date
24    of reemployment, the provisions  of  this  Section  regarding
25    resumption  of  status  as a participating employee shall not
26    apply. The normal and survivors insurance contributions which
27    are deducted during this period  shall  be  refunded  to  the
28    annuitant  without  interest,  and  subsequent benefits under
29    this Article shall be the same as those which were applicable
30    prior to the date the annuitant resumed employment.
31    (Source: P.A. 86-1488.)

32        (40 ILCS 5/15-158.2)
33        Sec. 15-158.2. Self-managed plan.
 
                            -10-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1        (a)  Purpose.  The General  Assembly  finds  that  it  is
 2    important for colleges and universities to be able to attract
 3    and  retain the most qualified employees and that in order to
 4    attract and retain these employees, colleges and universities
 5    should have the flexibility to provide a defined contribution
 6    plan as an alternative for eligible employees who  elect  not
 7    to  participate  in  a  defined  benefit  retirement  program
 8    provided   under   this   Article.   Accordingly,  the  State
 9    Universities  Retirement  System  is  hereby  authorized   to
10    establish  and  administer  a  self-managed plan, which shall
11    offer participating employees the opportunity  to  accumulate
12    assets  for  retirement through a combination of employee and
13    employer contributions that may be invested in mutual  funds,
14    collective investment funds, or other investment products and
15    used  to purchase annuity contracts, either fixed or variable
16    or a combination thereof.  The plan must be  qualified  under
17    the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
18        (b)  Adoption  by  employers.   Each  employer subject to
19    this  Article  may  elect  to  adopt  the  self-managed  plan
20    established under this Section; this election is irrevocable.
21    An employer's election to adopt the self-managed  plan  makes
22    available  to  the  eligible  employees  of that employer the
23    elections described in Section 15-134.5.
24        The State Universities Retirement  System  shall  be  the
25    plan  sponsor  for  the self-managed plan and shall prepare a
26    plan document and prescribe such rules and procedures as  are
27    considered  necessary  or desirable for the administration of
28    the self-managed plan.  Consistent with its fiduciary duty to
29    the participants and beneficiaries of the self-managed  plan,
30    the  Board  of Trustees of the System may delegate aspects of
31    plan administration as it sees fit to companies authorized to
32    do business  in  this  State,  to  the  employers,  or  to  a
33    combination of both.
34        (c)  Selection of service providers and funding vehicles.
 
                            -11-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    The System, in consultation with the employers, shall solicit
 2    proposals  to  provide  administrative  services  and funding
 3    vehicles for the self-managed plan from insurance and annuity
 4    companies and mutual fund companies, banks, trust  companies,
 5    or  other financial institutions authorized to do business in
 6    this  State.    In  reviewing  the  proposals  received   and
 7    approving  and  contracting  with no fewer than 2 and no more
 8    than 7 companies, at least 2 of which must be  insurance  and
 9    annuity  companies, the Board of Trustees of the System shall
10    consider, among other things, the following criteria:
11             (1)  the nature and  extent  of  the  benefits  that
12        would be provided to the participants;
13             (2)  the  reasonableness of the benefits in relation
14        to the premium charged;
15             (3)  the suitability of the benefits  to  the  needs
16        and  interests  of  the  participating  employees and the
17        employer;
18             (4)  the ability of the company to provide  benefits
19        under  the  contract  and  the financial stability of the
20        company; and
21             (5)  the efficacy of the contract in the recruitment
22        and retention of employees.
23        The System, in consultation  with  the  employers,  shall
24    periodically  review  each  approved  company.  A company may
25    continue  to  provide  administrative  services  and  funding
26    vehicles for  the  self-managed  plan  only  so  long  as  it
27    continues  to  be an approved company under contract with the
28    Board.
29        (d)  Employee Direction.  Employees who are participating
30    in the program must be allowed  to  direct  the  transfer  of
31    their  account  balances among the various investment options
32    offered, subject to applicable contractual provisions.    The
33    participant  shall  not  be  deemed  a fiduciary by reason of
34    providing such investment  direction.   A  person  who  is  a
 
                            -12-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    fiduciary  shall  not  be  liable for any loss resulting from
 2    such investment direction and shall not  be  deemed  to  have
 3    breached any fiduciary duty by acting in accordance with that
 4    direction.    Neither  the System nor the employer guarantees
 5    any of the investments in the employee's account balances.
 6        (e)  Participation.  An employee eligible to  participate
 7    in  the  self-managed  plan  must  make a written election in
 8    accordance with the provisions of Section  15-134.5  and  the
 9    procedures  established  by the System.  Participation in the
10    self-managed plan by an electing employee shall begin on  the
11    first  day of the first pay period following the later of the
12    date the employee's election is filed with the System or  the
13    effective  date as of which the employee's employer begins to
14    offer participation in the self-managed plan.  Employers  may
15    not make the self-managed plan available earlier than January
16    1, 1998.  An employee's participation in any other retirement
17    program  administered  by the System under this Article shall
18    terminate on the date that participation in the  self-managed
19    plan begins.
20        An  employee  who  has  elected  to  participate  in  the
21    self-managed   plan   under   this   Section   must  continue
22    participation while employed in an eligible position, and may
23    not participate in any other retirement program  administered
24    by  the  System  under  this  Article  while employed by that
25    employer  or  any  other  employer  that  has   adopted   the
26    self-managed plan, unless the self-managed plan is terminated
27    in accordance with subsection (i).
28        Participation in the self-managed plan under this Section
29    shall   constitute   membership  in  the  State  Universities
30    Retirement System.
31        A participant under this Section shall be entitled to the
32    benefits of Article 20 of this Code. modified to reflect  the
33    following principles:
34             (1)  The  amount of any retirement annuities payable
 
                            -13-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1        under this Section depend solely  on  the  value  of  the
 2        participant's vested account balances and are not subject
 3        to a maximum annuity benefit limitation or any adjustment
 4        pursuant   to   the   proportional   retirement   annuity
 5        provisions  of  Article  20.   If  a  participant  in the
 6        self-managed plan under this Section elects to apply  the
 7        provisions  of  Article  20,  the  dollar  amount  of the
 8        proportional retirement annuity payable from  the  System
 9        shall  be  deemed  to  be  zero and the provisions of the
10        second paragraph of Section 20-131 shall not  apply  with
11        respect to the retirement annuity benefits payable to the
12        participant under this Section.
13             (2)  For  purposes  of  Section 20-123 of this Code,
14        the self-managed plan shall be  treated  as  if  it  were
15        provided by a participating system that has no survivor's
16        annuity benefit.
17             (3)  Notwithstanding  Section  20-125  of this Code,
18        upon reemployment by a participating system of a  retired
19        participant  in  the  self-managed  plan,  the retirement
20        annuity payment made to such participant from any annuity
21        contracts acquired from  the  participant's  self-managed
22        plan account balances shall not be suspended.
23        (f)  Establishment of Initial Account Balance.  If at the
24    time  an  employee  elects to participate in the self-managed
25    plan he or she has rights and credits in the  System  due  to
26    previous  participation  in  the traditional benefit package,
27    the System  shall  establish  for  the  employee  an  opening
28    account balance in the self-managed plan, equal to the amount
29    of contribution refund that the employee would be eligible to
30    receive  under  Section  15-154  if  the  employee terminated
31    employment  on  that   date   and   elected   a   refund   of
32    contributions,  except  that  this  hypothetical refund shall
33    include interest at the effective  rate  for  the  respective
34    years.   The  System  shall  transfer assets from the defined
 
                            -14-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    benefit retirement program to the self-managed plan, as a tax
 2    free transfer in accordance  with  Internal  Revenue  Service
 3    guidelines,  for  purposes  of funding the employee's opening
 4    account balance.
 5        (g)  No Duplication of Service  Credit.   Notwithstanding
 6    any  other  provision  of  this  Article, an employee may not
 7    purchase or receive service or service credit  applicable  to
 8    any other retirement program administered by the System under
 9    this  Article  for any period during which the employee was a
10    participant in the self-managed plan established  under  this
11    Section.
12        (h)  Contributions.    The  self-managed  plan  shall  be
13    funded by contributions from employees participating  in  the
14    self-managed  plan  and employer contributions as provided in
15    this Section.
16        The contribution rate for employees participating in  the
17    self-managed  plan  under  this Section shall be equal to the
18    employee contribution rate  for  other  participants  in  the
19    System,   as  provided  in  Section  15-157.   This  required
20    contribution shall be made as  an  "employer  pick-up"  under
21    Section  414(h)  of  the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any
22    successor Section thereof.  Any employee participating in the
23    System's traditional benefit package  prior  to  his  or  her
24    election  to  participate  in  the  self-managed  plan  shall
25    continue  to  have  the  employer  pick  up the contributions
26    required under Section 15-157.  However, the  amounts  picked
27    up  after  the  election  of  the  self-managed plan shall be
28    remitted to and treated as assets of the  self-managed  plan.
29    In  no  event  shall  an employee have an option of receiving
30    these  amounts  in  cash.   Employees  may  make   additional
31    contributions  to  the  self-managed  plan in accordance with
32    procedures prescribed by the System, to the extent  permitted
33    under rules prescribed by the System.
34        The  program  shall provide for employer contributions to
 
                            -15-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    be credited to each self-managed plan participant at  a  rate
 2    of  7.6%  of  the  participating  employee's salary, less the
 3    amount used by the System to provide disability benefits  for
 4    the employee.  The amounts so credited shall be paid into the
 5    participant's  self-managed  plan  accounts in a manner to be
 6    prescribed by the System.
 7        An amount of employer contribution, not exceeding  1%  of
 8    the  participating  employee's  salary, shall be used for the
 9    purpose of providing the disability benefits of the System to
10    the employee.  Prior to the beginning of each plan year under
11    the self-managed plan, the Board of Trustees shall determine,
12    as  a  percentage  of  salary,   the   amount   of   employer
13    contributions  to  be  allocated  during  that  plan year for
14    providing  disability   benefits   for   employees   in   the
15    self-managed plan.
16        The   State  of  Illinois  shall  make  contributions  by
17    appropriations to the System of  the  employer  contributions
18    required  for  employees  who participate in the self-managed
19    plan under this  Section.    The  amount  required  shall  be
20    certified  by the Board of Trustees of the System and paid by
21    the State in accordance  with  Section  15-165.   The  System
22    shall  not  be  obligated  to  remit  the  required  employer
23    contributions  to any of the insurance and annuity companies,
24    mutual fund  companies,  banks,  trust  companies,  financial
25    institutions,  or  other  sponsors  of  any  of  the  funding
26    vehicles  offered  under  the  self-managed plan until it has
27    received the required employer contributions from the  State.
28    In  the  event  of  a  deficiency  in  the  amount  of  State
29    contributions,  the  System  shall implement those procedures
30    described in subsection (c) of Section 15-165 to  obtain  the
31    required funding from the General Revenue Fund.
32        (i)  Termination.  The self-managed plan authorized under
33    this  Section may be terminated by the System, subject to the
34    terms of any relevant contracts, and the System shall have no
 
                            -16-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    obligation to reestablish the self-managed  plan  under  this
 2    Section.   This  Section does not create a right to continued
 3    participation in any self-managed plan set up by  the  System
 4    under  this Section.  If the self-managed plan is terminated,
 5    the participants shall have the right to participate  in  one
 6    of  the  other  retirement programs offered by the System and
 7    receive service credit in such other retirement  program  for
 8    any years of employment following the termination.
 9        (j)  Vesting;   Withdrawal;   Return   to   Service.    A
10    participant  in  the  self-managed plan becomes vested in the
11    employer contributions credited to his or her accounts in the
12    self-managed plan on the earliest to occur of the  following:
13    (1)  completion  of  5  years  of  service  with  an employer
14    described  in  Section  15-106;  (2)   the   death   of   the
15    participating   employee   while   employed  by  an  employer
16    described in Section 15-106, if the participant has completed
17    at least 1 1/2 years of service;  or  (3)  the  participant's
18    election  to  retire  and  apply the reciprocal provisions of
19    Article 20 of this Code.
20        A participant in the self-managed  plan  who  receives  a
21    distribution   of   his   or  her  vested  amounts  from  the
22    self-managed plan while not yet eligible for retirement under
23    this Article (and Article 20, if applicable)  upon  or  after
24    termination  of  employment  shall forfeit all service credit
25    and  accrued  rights   in   the   System;   if   subsequently
26    re-employed,  the  participant  shall  be  considered  a  new
27    employee.    If   a   former   participant  again  becomes  a
28    participating   employee   (or   becomes   employed   by    a
29    participating  system  under  Article  20  of  this Code) and
30    continues as such for at least  2  years,  all  such  rights,
31    service  credits,  and previous status as a participant shall
32    be restored upon repayment of the amount of the distribution,
33    without interest.
34        (k)  Benefit amounts.  If an employee who  is  vested  in
 
                            -17-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    employer  contributions  terminates  employment, the employee
 2    shall be entitled to a benefit which is based on the  account
 3    values   attributable   to   both   employer   and   employee
 4    contributions and any investment return thereon.
 5        If   an   employee   who   is   not  vested  in  employer
 6    contributions terminates employment, the  employee  shall  be
 7    entitled  to  a  benefit  based  solely on the account values
 8    attributable  to  the  employee's   contributions   and   any
 9    investment return thereon, and the employer contributions and
10    any  investment  return  thereon  shall  be  forfeited.   Any
11    employer  contributions  which are forfeited shall be held in
12    escrow by the company investing those contributions and shall
13    be used as directed by the System for future  allocations  of
14    employer  contributions  or  for  the  restoration of amounts
15    previously forfeited by former participants who again  become
16    participating employees.
17    (Source:  P.A.  89-430,  eff. 12-15-95; 90-448, eff. 8-16-97;
18    90-576, eff. 3-31-98; 90-766, eff. 8-14-98.)

19        (40 ILCS 5/20-121) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 20-121)
20        Sec.  20-121.  Calculation  of  proportional   retirement
21    annuities.   Upon  retirement of the employee, a proportional
22    retirement annuity shall be computed  by  each  participating
23    system  in  which  pension credit has been established on the
24    basis of pension credits under each system.  The  computation
25    shall  be in accordance with the formula or method prescribed
26    by each participating system which is in effect at  the  date
27    of  the  employee's latest withdrawal from service covered by
28    any of the systems in which he has pension credits  which  he
29    elects  to  have considered under this Article.  However, the
30    amount  of  any  retirement   annuity   payable   under   the
31    self-managed  plan established under Section 15-158.2 of this
32    Code depends solely on the value of the participant's  vested
33    account  balances  and  is  not  subject  to any proportional
 
                            -18-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    adjustment under this Section.
 2        Combined pension  credit  under  all  retirement  systems
 3    subject  to  this  Article shall be considered in determining
 4    whether the  minimum  qualification  has  been  met  and  the
 5    formula  or method of computation which shall be applied.  If
 6    a system has a  step-rate  formula  for  calculation  of  the
 7    retirement annuity, pension credits covering previous service
 8    which  have  been  established  under another system shall be
 9    considered in  determining  which  range  or  ranges  of  the
10    step-rate formula are to be applicable to the employee.
11        Interest  on  pension credit shall continue to accumulate
12    in accordance with the provisions of the  law  governing  the
13    retirement  system  in  which  the  same has been established
14    during the time an employee is  in  the  service  of  another
15    employer,  on  the  assumption  such  employee,  for interest
16    purposes for pension credit, is  continuing  in  the  service
17    covered by such retirement system.
18    (Source: P.A. 79-782.)

19        (40 ILCS 5/20-123) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 20-123)
20        Sec.   20-123.    Survivor's   annuity.   The  provisions
21    governing a retirement  annuity  shall  be  applicable  to  a
22    survivor's annuity.  Appropriate credits shall be established
23    for   survivor's  annuity  purposes  in  those  participating
24    systems which provide survivor's annuities, according to  the
25    same  conditions  and  subject  to  the  same limitations and
26    restrictions herein prescribed for a retirement annuity.   If
27    a  participating system has no survivor's annuity benefit, or
28    if the  survivor's  annuity  benefit  under  that  system  is
29    waived,  pension credit established in that this system shall
30    not be considered  in  determining  eligibility  for  or  the
31    amount  of the survivor's annuity which may be payable by any
32    other participating system.
33        For persons who  participate  in  the  self-managed  plan
 
                            -19-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1    established  under  Section  15-158.2 or the portable benefit
 2    package established under Section  15-136.4,  pension  credit
 3    established under Article 15 may be considered in determining
 4    eligibility  for or the amount of the survivor's annuity that
 5    is payable by any other  participating  system,  but  pension
 6    credit  established  in  any other system shall not result in
 7    any right to  a  survivor's  annuity  under  the  Article  15
 8    system.
 9    (Source: P.A. 79-782.)

10        (40 ILCS 5/20-124) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 20-124)
11        Sec.  20-124.   Maximum  benefits.  In no event shall the
12    combined retirement or survivors annuities exceed the highest
13    annuity which would have been payable  by  any  participating
14    system  in  which the employee has pension credits, if all of
15    his pension credits had been validated in that system.
16        If the  combined  annuities  should  exceed  the  highest
17    maximum  as  determined  in accordance with this Section, the
18    respective  annuities  shall   be   reduced   proportionately
19    according  to the ratio which the amount of each proportional
20    annuity bears to the aggregate of all such annuities.
21        In the case of a participant  in  the  self-managed  plan
22    established  under  Section 15-158.2 of this Code to whom the
23    provisions of this Article apply:
24             (i)  For  purposes  of  calculating   the   combined
25        retirement  annuity  and  the proportionate reduction, if
26        any, in a retirement annuity other than one payable under
27        the self-managed plan,  the  amount  of  the  Article  15
28        retirement  annuity  shall  be  deemed  to be the highest
29        annuity to which the annuitant would have  been  entitled
30        if  he or she had participated in the traditional benefit
31        package as defined in Section 15-103.1  rather  than  the
32        self-managed plan.
33             (ii)  For   purposes  of  calculating  the  combined
 
                            -20-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1        survivor's annuity and the  proportionate  reduction,  if
 2        any, in a survivor's annuity other than one payable under
 3        the  self-managed  plan,  the  amount  of  the Article 15
 4        survivor's annuity shall be  deemed  to  be  the  highest
 5        survivor's  annuity to which the survivor would have been
 6        entitled if the deceased employee had participated in the
 7        traditional  benefit  package  as  defined   in   Section
 8        15-103.1 rather than the self-managed plan.
 9             (iii)  Benefits  payable under the self-managed plan
10        are not subject to  proportionate  reduction  under  this
11        Section.
12    (Source: P.A. 79-782.)

13        (40 ILCS 5/20-125) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 20-125)
14        Sec.  20-125.   Return  to  employment  -  suspension  of
15    benefits.   If a retired employee returns to employment which
16    is  covered  by  a  system  from  which  he  is  receiving  a
17    proportional annuity under  this  Article,  his  proportional
18    annuity  from  all  participating  systems shall be suspended
19    during  the  period  of  re-employment,  except   that   this
20    suspension  does not apply to any distributions payable under
21    the self-managed plan established under Section  15-158.2  of
22    this Code.
23        The provisions of the Article under which such employment
24    would  be  covered  shall govern the determination of whether
25    the employee has returned to employment,  and  if  applicable
26    the  exemption  of  temporary  employment  or  employment not
27    exceeding  a  specified  duration  or  frequency,   for   all
28    participating  systems  from  which  the  retired employee is
29    receiving  a  proportional  annuity   under   this   Article,
30    notwithstanding any contrary provisions in the other Articles
31    governing such systems.
32    (Source: P.A. 85-1008.)
 
                            -21-               LRB9101886EGfg
 1        (40 ILCS 5/20-131) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 20-131)
 2        Sec.   20-131.    Retirement   Annuities   and  Survivors
 3    Annuities - Guarantees.
 4        (a)  This amendatory Act of 1975 (P.A. 79-782) shall  not
 5    be   applied  to  deprive  any  person  or  his  survivor  of
 6    eligibility for an annuity or to reduce  the  annuity  or  to
 7    deprive  such  person  of  rights to which he or his survivor
 8    would have been entitled under the provisions of  Article  20
 9    which  were in effect immediately prior to September 5, 1975,
10    if he was an employee immediately prior to that date.
11        (b)  If the combined retirement annuity benefits provided
12    under Public Act 79-782 are less than the combined retirement
13    annuity benefits that  would  have  been  payable  under  the
14    alternative formula of Section 20-122, the system under which
15    retirement  would  have  occurred,  as  provided  by  Section
16    20-122, shall increase the proportional retirement annuity by
17    an amount equal to the difference.
18        (c)  Subsection (b) of this Section does not apply to the
19    retirement  annuity  benefits  payable under the self-managed
20    plan established under Section 15-158.2 of this Code.
21    (Source: P.A. 86-820.)

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

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