HB4234 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 08835 AMC 18969 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB4234

Introduced 2/27/2009, by Rep. Ron Stephens

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

40 ILCS 5/7-154	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-154
30 ILCS 805/8.33 new

Amends the IMRF Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a provision added by Public Act 87-850, providing survivor eligibility for certain spouses who were married during the member's retirement, apply to a member who retired before March 26, 1992 but dies on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. 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 7-154 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/7-154) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-154)

Sec. 7-154. Surviving spouse annuities - Eligibility.

(a) A surviving spouse annuity shall be payable to the eligible surviving spouse of a participating employee, an employee annuitant, or a person who on the date of death would have been entitled to a retirement annuity, had he applied for such annuity, and who dies at any time when a surviving spouse annuity equals at least $5 per month, provided:

(1) The surviving spouse (i) was married to the participating employee for at least one year on the date of death, or (ii) was married to the annuitant or person entitled to a retirement annuity for at least one year prior to the date of termination of service, or (iii) was married to the deceased annuitant for at least one year on the date of the deceased annuitant's death, if at the time of termination of service the deceased annuitant was married for at least one year to a spouse who does not survive the deceased annuitant. (Item (iii) applies to the spouses of annuitants who die on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, notwithstanding whether the annuitant was in service on or after that effective date or the effective date of Public Act 87-850.)

(2) The male deceased employee annuitant or such other person entitled to a retirement annuity had contributed to this fund for surviving spouse annuity purposes for at least 1 year or continuously since the effective date of the participating municipality or participating instrumentality.

(3) The female deceased employee annuitant or such other person entitled to a retirement annuity was in service on or after July 27, 1972, provided that the annuity shall not be computed on the basis of any retirement annuity effective before that date.

(4) If the employee dies before termination of service, the employee did not exclude the spouse from any death benefit or surviving spouse annuity pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 7-118. A designation of beneficiary naming a spouse and children jointly or a trust pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 7-118 shall preclude payment of a surviving spouse annuity.

(b) If a person is the spouse of a retiring participating employee on the date of the initial payment of a retirement annuity and is qualified to receive a surviving spouse annuity upon the death of the employee and the surviving spouse contributions are not refunded to the employee, then a surviving spouse annuity shall be payable to that person even if the marriage to the employee is dissolved after that date.

(c) Eligibility of a surviving spouse shall be determined as of the date of death. Only one surviving spouse annuity shall be paid on account of the death of any employee.

(Source: P.A. 87-740; 87-850.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.33 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.33 new)

Sec. 8.33. 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 96th General Assembly.

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