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90_HB0659 40 ILCS 5/4-114 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-114 30 ILCS 805/8.21 new Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Pension Code to provide that the pension of the surviving spouse of a firefighter who dies in the line of duty shall not be less than 100% of the salary attached to the rank held by the deceased firefighter on the last day of service. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately. LRB9000414EGfg LRB9000414EGfg 1 AN ACT to amend the Illinois Pension Code by changing 2 Section 4-114 and to amend the State 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 4-114 as follows: 7 (40 ILCS 5/4-114) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-114) 8 Sec. 4-114. Pension to survivors. If a firefighter who 9 is not receiving a disability pension under Section 4-110 or 10 4-110.1 dies (1) as a result of any illness or accident, or 11 (2) from any cause while in receipt of a disability pension 12 under this Article, or (3) during retirement after 20 years 13 service, or (4) while vested for or in receipt of a pension 14 payable under subsection (b) of Section 4-109, or (5) while a 15 deferred pensioner, having made all required contributions, a 16 pension shall be paid to his or her survivors, based on the 17 monthly salary attached to the firefighter's rank on the last 18 day of service in the fire department, as follows: 19 (a) To the surviving spouse, a monthly pension of 40% of 20 the monthly salary, and to the guardian of any minor child or 21 children including a child which has been conceived but not 22 yet born, 12% of such monthly salary for each such child 23 until attainment of age 18 or until the child's marriage, 24 whichever occurs first. Beginning July 1, 1993, the monthly 25 pension to the surviving spouse shall be 54% of the monthly 26 salary for all persons receiving a surviving spouse pension 27 under this Article, regardless of whether the deceased 28 firefighter was in service on or after the effective date of 29 this amendatory Act of 1993. 30 The pension to the surviving spouse shall terminate in 31 the event of the surviving spouse's remarriage prior to July -2- LRB9000414EGfg 1 1, 1993; remarriage on or after that date does not affect the 2 surviving spouse's pension, regardless of whether the 3 deceased firefighter was in service on or after the effective 4 date of this amendatory Act of 1993. 5 The surviving spouse's pension shall be subject to the 6 minimum established in Section 4-109.2. 7 (b) Upon the death of the surviving spouse leaving one 8 or more minor children, to the duly appointed guardian of 9 each such child, for support and maintenance of each such 10 child until the child reaches age 18 or marries, whichever 11 occurs first, a monthly pension of 20% of the monthly salary. 12 (c) If a deceased firefighter leaves no surviving spouse 13 or unmarried minor children under age 18, but leaves a 14 dependent father or mother, to each dependent parent a 15 monthly pension of 18% of the monthly salary. To qualify for 16 the pension, a dependent parent must furnish satisfactory 17 proof that the deceased firefighter was at the time of his or 18 her death the sole supporter of the parent or that the parent 19 was the deceased's dependent for federal income tax purposes. 20 (d) The total pension provided under paragraphs (a), (b) 21 and (c) of this Section shall not exceed 75% of the monthly 22 salary of the deceased firefighter (1) when paid to the 23 survivor of a firefighter who has attained 20 or more years 24 of service credit and who receives or is eligible to receive 25 a retirement pension under this Article, or (2) when paid to 26 the survivor of a firefighter who dies as a result of illness 27 or accident, or (3) when paid to the survivor of a 28 firefighter who dies from any cause while in receipt of a 29 disability pension under this Article, or (4) when paid to 30 the survivor of a deferred pensioner. For all other 31 survivors of deceased firefighters, the total pension 32 provided under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 33 shall not exceed 50% of the retirement annuity the 34 firefighter would have received on the date of death. -3- LRB9000414EGfg 1 (e) If a firefighter leaves no eligible survivors under 2 paragraphs (a), (b) and (c), the board shall refund to the 3 firefighter's estate the amount of his or her accumulated 4 contributions, less the amount of pension payments, if any, 5 made to the firefighter while living. 6 (f) An adopted child is eligible for the pension 7 provided under paragraph (a) if the child was adopted before 8 the firefighter attained age 50. 9 (g) If a judgment of dissolution of marriage between a 10 firefighter and spouse is judicially set aside subsequent to 11 the firefighter's death, the surviving spouse is eligible for 12 the pension provided in paragraph (a) only if the judicial 13 proceedings are filed within 2 years after the date of the 14 dissolution of marriage and within one year after the 15 firefighter's death and the board is made a party to the 16 proceedings. In such case the pension shall be payable only 17 from the date of the court's order setting aside the judgment 18 of dissolution of marriage. 19 (h) Benefits payable on account of a child under this 20 Section shall not be reduced or terminated by reason of the 21 child's attainment of age 18 if he or she is then dependent 22 by reason of a physical or mental disability but shall 23 continue to be paid as long as such dependency continues. 24 Individuals over the age of 18 and adjudged as a disabled 25 person pursuant to Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975, 26 except for persons receiving benefits under Article III of 27 the Illinois Public Aid Code, shall be eligible to receive 28 benefits under this Act. 29 (i) Notwithstanding subsection (d) or any the other 30 provisions of this Section, the pension of the surviving 31 spouse of a firefighter who dies on or after the effective 32 date of this amendatory Act of 1997 as a result of sickness, 33 accident, or injury incurred in or resulting from the 34 performance of an act of duty or from the cumulative effects -4- LRB9000414EGfg 1 of acts of duty shall not be less than 100% of the salary 2 attached to the rank held by the deceased firefighter on the 3 last day of service. 4 (Source: P.A. 89-136, eff. 7-14-95; 89-168, eff. 7-19-95.) 5 Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding 6 Section 8.21 as follows: 7 (30 ILCS 805/8.21 new) 8 Sec. 8.21. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 9 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required 10 for the implementation of any mandate created by this 11 amendatory Act of 1997. 12 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 13 becoming law.