HB5119eng 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5119 Engrossed LRB104 19883 RPS 33333 b

AN ACT concerning 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 Sections 1A-101, 1A-106, 1A-107, 1A-108, 1A-109, and 1A-113 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/1A-101)

Sec. 1A-101. Creation of Public Pension Division. There is created in the Department of Insurance a Public Pension Division which, under the supervision and direction of the Director of Insurance, shall exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions prescribed under this Code. The Division shall consist of an administrator, a supervisor, a technical staff trained in the fundamentals of public pension fund planning, operations, administration, and investment of public pension funds, and such other personnel as may be necessary properly and effectively to discharge the functions of the Division.

(Source: P.A. 90-507, eff. 8-22-97.)

(40 ILCS 5/1A-106)

Sec. 1A-106. Advisory services. The Division may shall render advisory services to the pension funds on all matters pertaining to their operations and shall recommend any corrective or clarifying legislation that it may deem necessary. These recommendations may shall be made in the report of examination of the particular pension fund and in the biennial report to the General Assembly under Section 1A-108. The recommendations may embrace all substantive legislative and administrative policies, including, but not limited to, matters dealing with the payment of annuities and benefits, the investment of funds, and the condition of the books, records, and accounts of the pension fund.

(Source: P.A. 90-507, eff. 8-22-97.)

(40 ILCS 5/1A-107)

Sec. 1A-107. Automation of services. The Division shall automate its operations, services, and communications to the fullest practical extent. This automation shall include, but need not be limited to, the acquisition, use, and maintenance of electronic data processing technology to (i) automate Division operations as necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities under this Code, (ii) provide by FY 2000 electronic exchange of information between the Division and pension funds subject to this Code, (iii) provide to pension funds and the general public and receive from pension funds and the general public data on computer processible media, and (iv) control access to information when necessary to protect the confidentiality of persons identified in the information.

The Division shall ensure that this automation is designed so as to protect any confidential data it may receive from a pension fund. This Section does not authorize the Division or the Department of Insurance to disclose any information identifying specific pension fund participants or relating to an identifiable pension fund participant.

(Source: P.A. 90-507, eff. 8-22-97.)

(40 ILCS 5/1A-108)

Sec. 1A-108. Report to the Governor and General Assembly. On or before October 1 following the convening of a regular session of the General Assembly, the Division shall submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly setting forth the latest financial statements on the pension funds operating in the State of Illinois, a summary of the current provisions underlying these funds, and a report on any changes that have occurred in these provisions since the date of the last such report submitted by the Division.

The report shall also include the results of examinations made by the Division of any pension fund as well as the results of examinations made by an independent certified public accountant retained by the respective Consolidated Fund for exams of Article 3 and 4 funds as provided in Section 1A-104. The report shall also include and any specific recommendations for legislative and administrative correction that the Division deems necessary. The report may embody general recommendations concerning desirable changes in any existing pension, annuity, or retirement laws designed to standardize and establish uniformity in their basic provisions and to bring about an improvement in the financial condition of the pension funds. The purposes of these recommendations and the objectives sought shall be clearly expressed in the report.

The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly as required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act.

Upon request, the Division shall distribute additional copies of the report at no charge to the secretary of each pension fund established under Article 3 or 4, the treasurer or fiscal officer of each municipality with an established police or firefighter pension fund, the executive director of every other pension fund established under this Code, and to public libraries, State agencies, and police, firefighter, and municipal organizations active in the public pension area.

(Source: P.A. 100-1148, eff. 12-10-18.)

(40 ILCS 5/1A-109)

Sec. 1A-109. Annual statements by pension funds. Each pension fund shall furnish to the Division an annual statement in a format prepared by the Division.

The Division shall design the form and prescribe the content of the annual statement and, if any changes are made to the form for a given fiscal year, at least 60 days prior to the filing date, shall furnish the form to each pension fund for completion. The annual statement shall be prepared by each fund, properly certified by its officers, and submitted to the Division within 6 months following the close of the fiscal year of the pension fund.

The annual statement shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) a financial balance sheet as of the close of the fiscal year;

(2) a statement of income and expenditures;

(3) an actuarial balance sheet;

(4) statistical data reflecting age, service, and salary characteristics concerning all participants;

(5) special facts concerning disability or other claims;

(6) details on investment transactions that occurred during the fiscal year covered by the report, including, for pension funds under Article 3 or 4 of this Code, details on transactions pertaining to nontransferable assets that funds retain after transferring investments to the respective Consolidated Fund in accordance with Public Act 101-610 that occurred during the fiscal year covered by the report;

(7) details on administrative expenses; and

(8) such other supporting data and schedules as in the judgement of the Division may be necessary for a proper appraisal of the financial condition of the pension fund and the results of its operations. The annual statement shall also specify the actuarial and interest tables used in the operation of the pension fund.

For pension funds under Article 3 or 4 of this Code, after the conclusion of the transition period, the Consolidated Fund shall furnish directly to the Division the information described in items (1) and (6) of this Section and shall otherwise cooperate with the pension fund in the preparation of the annual statement.

A pension fund that fails to file its annual statement within the time prescribed under this Section is subject to the penalty provisions of Section 1A-113.

(Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)

(40 ILCS 5/1A-113)

Sec. 1A-113. Penalties.

(a) A pension fund that fails, without just cause, to file its annual statement within the time prescribed under Section 1A-109 shall pay to the Department a penalty to be determined by the Department, which shall not exceed $100 for each day's delay.

(b) A pension fund that fails, without just cause, to file its actuarial statement within the time prescribed under Section 1A-110 or 1A-111 shall pay to the Department a penalty to be determined by the Department, which shall not exceed $100 for each day's delay.

(c) A pension fund that fails to pay a fee within the time prescribed under Section 1A-112 shall pay to the Department a penalty of 5% of the amount of the fee for each month or part of a month that the fee is late. The entire penalty shall not exceed 25% of the fee due.

(d) This subsection applies to any governmental unit, as defined in Section 1A-102, that is subject to any law establishing a pension fund or retirement system for the benefit of employees of the governmental unit.

Whenever the Division determines by examination, investigation, or in any other manner that the governing body or any elected or appointed officer or official of a governmental unit has failed to comply with any provision of that law:

(1) The Director shall notify in writing the governing body, officer, or official of the specific provision or provisions of the law with which the person has failed to comply.

(2) Upon receipt of the notice, the person notified shall take immediate steps to comply with the provisions of law specified in the notice.

(3) If the person notified fails to comply within a reasonable time after receiving the notice, the Director may hold a hearing at which the person notified may show cause for noncompliance with the law.

(4) If upon hearing the Director determines that good and sufficient cause for noncompliance has not been shown, the Director may order the person to submit evidence of compliance within a specified period of not less than 30 days.

(5) If evidence of compliance has not been submitted to the Director within the period of time prescribed in the order and no administrative appeal from the order has been initiated, the Director may assess a civil penalty of up to $2,000 against the governing body, officer, or official for each noncompliance with an order of the Director.

The Director shall develop by rule, with as much specificity as practicable, the standards and criteria to be used in assessing penalties and their amounts. The standards and criteria shall include, but need not be limited to, consideration of evidence of efforts made in good faith to comply with applicable legal requirements. This rulemaking is subject to the provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

If a penalty is not paid within 30 days of the date of assessment and no just cause has been communicated, the Director may without further notice shall report the act of noncompliance to the Attorney General of this State. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General or, if the Attorney General so designates, the State's Attorney of the county in which the governmental unit is located to apply promptly by complaint on relation of the Director of Insurance in the name of the people of the State of Illinois, as plaintiff, to the circuit court of the county in which the governmental unit is located for enforcement of the penalty prescribed in this subsection or for such additional relief as the nature of the case and the interest of the employees of the governmental unit or the public may require.

(e) Whoever knowingly makes a false certificate, entry, or memorandum upon any of the books or papers pertaining to any pension fund or upon any statement, report, or exhibit filed or offered for file with the Division or the Director of Insurance in the course of any examination, inquiry, or investigation, with intent to deceive the Director, the Division, or any of its employees is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(f) Subsections (b) and (c) shall apply to pension funds established under Article 3 or Article 4 of this Code only prior to the conclusion of the transition period, and this Section shall not apply to the Consolidated Funds.

(Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)

(40 ILCS 5/1A-201 rep.)

Section 10. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by repealing Section 1A-201.