State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB3421

 
                                               LRB9111428EGfg

 1        AN ACT to amend the Illinois Pension Code and  the  State
 2    Mandates Act.

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

 5        Section 5.  The  Illinois  Pension  Code  is  amended  by
 6    changing Section 6-151.1 as follows:

 7        (40 ILCS 5/6-151.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-151.1)
 8        Sec.  6-151.1.  The  General  Assembly finds and declares
 9    that service in the Fire Department requires that firemen, in
10    times of stress and danger, must perform unusual tasks;  that
11    by  reason  of  their  occupation,  firemen  are  subject  to
12    exposure to great heat and to extreme cold in certain seasons
13    while in performance of their duties; that by reason of their
14    employment  firemen  are required to work in the midst of and
15    are  subject  to  heavy  smoke   fumes,   and   carcinogenic,
16    poisonous,  toxic  or  chemical gases from fires; and that in
17    the course of their rescue and paramedic duties  firemen  are
18    exposed  to  disabling  infectious  diseases,  including  HIV
19    infection  and hepatitis.  The General Assembly further finds
20    and declares that all the aforementioned conditions exist and
21    arise out of or in the course of such employment.
22        Any active fireman who has completed 5 ten or more  years
23    of  service  and  is unable to perform his duties in the Fire
24    Department by reason of heart disease, tuberculosis,  or  any
25    disease  of the lungs or respiratory tract, HIV infection, or
26    hepatitis resulting solely from his  service  as  a  fireman,
27    shall   be   entitled  to  receive  an  occupational  disease
28    disability benefit during any period of such  disability  for
29    which he does not have a right to receive salary.
30        Any  active fireman who has completed 5 ten or more years
31    of service and is unable to perform his duties  in  the  fire
 
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 1    department by reason of a disabling cancer, which develops or
 2    manifests  itself during a period while the fireman is in the
 3    service of the department, shall be entitled  to  receive  an
 4    occupational  disease disability benefit during any period of
 5    such disability for which he does not have a right to receive
 6    salary.   In  order  to  receive  this  occupational  disease
 7    disability benefit, the type of cancer  involved  must  be  a
 8    type  which may be caused by exposure to heat, radiation or a
 9    known carcinogen as defined by the International  Agency  for
10    Research on Cancer.
11        Any  fireman  who  shall  enter  the  service  after  the
12    effective  date  of  this amendatory Act shall be examined by
13    one or more practicing physicians appointed by the Board, and
14    if that said examination discloses impairment of  the  heart,
15    lungs,  or  respiratory  tract,  or  the existence of any HIV
16    infection, hepatitis, or cancer, then the such fireman  shall
17    not be entitled to receive an occupational disease disability
18    benefit  unless and until a subsequent examination reveals no
19    such impairment, HIV infection, hepatitis, or cancer.
20        The occupational disease disability benefit shall be  65%
21    of  the  fireman's salary at the time of his removal from the
22    Department payroll.  However, beginning January 1,  1994,  no
23    occupational disease disability benefit that has been payable
24    under  this  Section for at least 10 years shall be less than
25    50% of the current salary attached from time to time  to  the
26    rank and grade held by the fireman at the time of his removal
27    from  the  Department  payroll,  regardless  of  whether that
28    removal occurred before the effective date of this amendatory
29    Act of 1993.
30        Such fireman also shall have a right to  receive  child's
31    disability  benefit  of  $30  per  month  on  account of each
32    unmarried  child  who  is  less  than  18  years  of  age  or
33    handicapped, dependent upon  the  fireman  for  support,  and
34    either  the  issue  of the fireman or legally adopted by him.
 
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 1    The total amount of child's disability benefit payable to the
 2    fireman, when added to his  occupational  disease  disability
 3    benefit,  shall  not exceed 75% of the amount of salary which
 4    he was receiving at the time of  the  grant  of  occupational
 5    disease disability benefit.
 6        The  first  payment  of  occupational  disease disability
 7    benefit or child's disability benefit shall be made not later
 8    than one month after the benefit is granted.  Each subsequent
 9    payment shall be made not later than one month after the date
10    of the latest payment.
11        Occupational disease disability benefit shall be  payable
12    during the period of the disability until the fireman reaches
13    the age of compulsory retirement.  Child's disability benefit
14    shall  be  paid  to  such  a  fireman  during  the  period of
15    disability until such child or  children  attain  age  18  or
16    marry,  whichever  event occurs first; except that attainment
17    of age 18 by  a  child  who  is  so  physically  or  mentally
18    handicapped  as to be dependent upon the fireman for support,
19    shall not render the child ineligible for child's  disability
20    benefit.   The  fireman thereafter shall receive such annuity
21    or annuities as are provided for him in accordance with other
22    provisions of this Article.
23    (Source: P.A. 88-528.)

24        Section 90.  The State Mandates Act is amended by  adding
25    Section 8.24 as follows:

26        (30 ILCS 805/8.24 new)
27        Sec.  8.24.  Exempt  mandate.  Notwithstanding Sections 6
28    and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is  required
29    for  the  implementation  of  any  mandate  created  by  this
30    amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.

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

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