State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_HB1131

      New Act
      30 ILCS 340/3.1 new
          Creates the  Illinois  Savings  and  Stability  Act,  and
      creates a Fund with that name in the State treasury, separate
      from State general funds.  Requires the Department of Revenue
      to  deposit  a  specified  portion  of monthly net income tax
      receipts (called the "Annual Budget Reserve") into the  Fund.
      Defines   the   "Maximum   Budget  Reserve"  as  a  specified
      percentage of estimated or actual appropriations from general
      funds.  Provides that deposits into  the  Fund  shall  cease,
      starting  in  FY2004,  if the balance in the Fund exceeds the
      Maximum Budget Reserve.  Provides that moneys in the Fund may
      be used, starting April 1, 2003, to cover a budget shortfall.
      Contains text of a proposed Act to be  prepared  when  moneys
      are  sought  to  be  appropriated  from the Fund.  Authorizes
      borrowing to cover a shortfall under specified circumstances.
      Amends the Short Term Borrowing Act by repealing the  Act  on
      April 1, 2003.  Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9004968DNmb
                                               LRB9004968DNmb
 1        AN ACT to create the Savings and Stability Fund, amending
 2    a named Act.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 1.  Short title.  This Act may be  cited  as  the
 6    Illinois Savings and Stability Act.
 7        Section  5.  Savings and Stability Fund.  The Savings and
 8    Stability Fund is created in the State  treasury.   The  Fund
 9    shall  be  separate  from  the  general fund of the State and
10    shall not be considered part  of  the  general  fund  of  the
11    State.   The  moneys  in  the  Fund shall not be transferred,
12    used, obligated, appropriated, or otherwise encumbered except
13    as provided in this Act.
14        Section 10.  Annual Budget Reserve.  In each fiscal year,
15    the Department of Revenue shall deposit a portion of  monthly
16    net  income  tax receipts into the Fund in an amount totaling
17    the Annual Budget Reserve.  The Annual Budget  Reserve  shall
18    be determined by the following method:
19             If  the  Illinois  Balanced  Budget  Commission  has
20        approved a final Balanced Budget Revenue Estimate for the
21        fiscal  year, the Annual Budget Reserve shall equal 1% of
22        the final Estimate.  If the  final  Estimate  is  revised
23        pursuant   to  the  Illinois  Balanced  Budget  Act,  the
24        Department shall adjust  monthly  deposits  to  meet  the
25        Annual Budget Reserve based on the revised Estimate.
26             If  the  Illinois Balanced Budget Commission has not
27        approved a final Balanced Budget Revenue Estimate for the
28        fiscal  year,  the  Department  shall  request  that  the
29        Comptroller certify the total  amount  of  general  funds
30        appropriations  enacted  by  the General Assembly for the
                            -2-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1        fiscal year.  The Annual Budget Reserve shall equal 1.01%
 2        of the amount certified by the Comptroller.
 3        Section 15.  Maximum Budget Reserve.  Beginning  on  July
 4    1, 2003, no deposits into the Fund shall be made whenever the
 5    balance  in the Fund exceeds the Maximum Budget Reserve.  The
 6    Maximum Budget Reserve shall be determined by  the  following
 7    method:
 8             If  the  Illinois  Balanced  Budget  Commission  has
 9        approved a final Balanced Budget Revenue Estimate for the
10        fiscal year, the Maximum Budget Reserve shall equal 5% of
11        the  final  Estimate.   If  the final Estimate is revised
12        pursuant  to  the  Illinois  Balanced  Budget  Act,   the
13        Department  shall  adjust  the  Maximum Budget Reserve to
14        reflect  the   revised   Estimate   and   make   deposits
15        accordingly.
16             If  the  Illinois Balanced Budget Commission has not
17        approved a final Balanced Budget Revenue Estimate for the
18        fiscal  year,  the  Department  shall  request  that  the
19        Comptroller certify the total  amount  of  general  funds
20        appropriations  enacted  by  the General Assembly for the
21        fiscal year.  The  Maximum  Budget  Reserve  shall  equal
22        5.26% of the amount certified by the Comptroller.
23        Section 20.  Restriction on use of Fund.  Notwithstanding
24    any  other  provisions of this Act, no moneys in the Fund may
25    be transferred, used, obligated, appropriated,  or  otherwise
26    encumbered before April 1, 2003.
27        Section  25.  Covering  a  shortfall.  The  Governor  may
28    request  that  the General Assembly appropriate moneys in the
29    Fund to cover any shortfall in actual general  funds  revenue
30    below  estimated  general  funds  revenue.   If  the Illinois
31    Balanced Budget Commission  has  approved  a  final  Balanced
                            -3-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1    Budget  Revenue  Estimate  for the fiscal year, the moneys in
 2    the Fund shall be used only to cover any shortfall in  actual
 3    general funds revenue below the Estimate approved and revised
 4    by the Commission.
 5        Section   30.  No   appropriation  before  April  1.   No
 6    appropriation from the Illinois Savings  and  Stability  Fund
 7    for  any  fiscal  year  shall have an effective date prior to
 8    April 1 of the fiscal year.
 9        Section   35.  No   increase   in   appropriations.    No
10    appropriation from the Illinois Savings  and  Stability  Fund
11    shall  serve  to  increase the appropriation authority of any
12    State agency in any line item for any fiscal year.   Whenever
13    any  amount is appropriated from the Fund in any fiscal year,
14    corresponding reductions totaling  not  less  than  the  same
15    amount   shall   be  made  in  spending  from  general  funds
16    appropriations.
17        Section    40.  Proposed    Savings     and     Stability
18    Implementation  Act.   The  Governor's request that moneys be
19    appropriated from  the  Fund  shall  provide  for  offsetting
20    reserves  from  existing  general  funds appropriations.  The
21    Governor's request that moneys be appropriated from the  Fund
22    in  any  fiscal  year  shall  be  made separately from and in
23    addition to any bills appropriating moneys from the Fund, and
24    its substantive provisions  shall  be  in  substantially  the
25    following form:
26             "The  Savings  and  Stability  Reserve Act of Fiscal
27        Year .....
28             Section 1005.  Findings.  The General Assembly finds
29        that economic events beyond  the  control  of  the  State
30        shall  cause  general funds revenue for fiscal year .....
                            -4-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1        to fall  below  the  amount  estimated  pursuant  to  the
 2        Illinois   Constitution   and   all  applicable  Illinois
 3        Statutes.  The General Assembly further  finds  that  the
 4        State  shall  incur  obligations  that it cannot pay in a
 5        timely manner because of the shortfall in  general  funds
 6        revenue.    The   General  Assembly  further  finds  that
 7        reducing  appropriations  or  increasing  revenue   would
 8        negatively  affect both the Illinois economy and the long
 9        term fiscal health of the State. Therefore,  the  General
10        Assembly  finds it necessary and expedient to provide for
11        expenditures under the  Illinois  Savings  and  Stability
12        Act,  and  to  provide  for  reserves in existing general
13        funds appropriations.
14             Section 1010.  Definitions.
15             (a)  For the purposes of this Act, the  term  "State
16        agency"  is  defined  as  in  Section 1-7 of the Illinois
17        State Auditing  Act.   The  term  also  includes  circuit
18        courts   and   other   judicial   agencies  that  receive
19        appropriations of State funds.
20             (b)  For  the  purposes  of  this  Act,   the   term
21        "certifying officer" means:
22                  (1)  The     Lieutenant    Governor    as    to
23             appropriations  made  to  that  officer  and  as  to
24             appropriations from which that officer is authorized
25             to approve expenditures  under  Section  10  of  the
26             State Finance Act.
27                  (2)  The  Attorney General as to appropriations
28             made to that officer and as to  appropriations  from
29             which   that   officer   is  authorized  to  approve
30             expenditures under Section 10 of the  State  Finance
31             Act.
32                  (3)  The    Secretary    of    State    as   to
33             appropriations  made  to  that  officer  and  as  to
34             appropriations from which that officer is authorized
                            -5-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1             to approve expenditures  under  Section  10  of  the
 2             State Finance Act.
 3                  (4)  The Treasurer as to appropriations made to
 4             that  officer  and  as  to appropriations from which
 5             that officer is authorized to  approve  expenditures
 6             under the State Finance Act.
 7                  (5)  The  Comptroller as to appropriations made
 8             to that officer and as to appropriations from  which
 9             that  officer  is authorized to approve expenditures
10             under Section 10 of the State Finance Act.
11                  (6)  The Joint Committee on Legislative Support
12             Services  as  to  appropriations  to   the   General
13             Assembly,  the  Auditor  General,  and the officers,
14             boards, commissions, bureaus, or agencies  that  are
15             part of the Legislative Branch of government.
16                  (7)  The  Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme
17             Court as to appropriations to  State  agencies  that
18             are part of the Judicial Branch of government.
19                  (8)  The  Governor as to appropriations made to
20             that officer and as  to  appropriations  from  which
21             that  officer  is authorized to approve expenditures
22             under Section 10 of the State Finance Act.
23                  (9)  The Governor in all other cases.
24             Section 1015.  Designation of Savings and  Stability
25        Reserves.
26             (a)  Each  certifying  officer  shall  designate, by
27        appropriation and  line  item,  amounts  to  be  held  in
28        reserve  for  State fiscal year ....., which shall be not
29        less than appropriations from the  Illinois  Savings  and
30        Stability  Fund  for each of the State agencies for which
31        he or she is the certifying officer.  The total amount to
32        be designated for each State  agency  by  its  certifying
33        officer shall be as follows:
                            -6-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1             State Agency                                 Reserve
 2             Legislative Agencies
 3                  General Assembly and legislative agencies $....
 4             Judicial Agencies
 5                  Supreme Court                             $....
 6                  Judicial Inquiry Board                    $....
 7                  State Appellate Defender                  $....
 8                  State's
 9             Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor                 $....
10             Constitutional Elected Officers
11                  Governor                                  $....
12                  Lieutenant Governor                       $....
13                  Attorney General                          $....
14                  Secretary of State                        $....
15                  Comptroller                               $....
16                  Treasurer                                 $....
17             Departments
18                  [List all code departments]               $....
19             Other Agencies
20                  [List all other State agencies]           $....
21             Higher Education
22                  [List all higher education agencies]      $....
23             (b)  No  certifying  officer shall designate amounts
24        to be held  in  a  Savings  and  Stability  Reserve  from
25        appropriations  for  payment of salaries fixed by law for
26        State officers.
27             (c)  The amounts held in  a  Savings  and  Stability
28        Reserve  shall  not  be  transferred, used, obligated, or
29        otherwise encumbered during fiscal year .....,  including
30        any time allowed for payment of obligations after the end
31        of  the fiscal year under Section 25 of the State Finance
32        Act.
33             (d)  Any periodic transfers or expenditures that are
34        based  on  amounts  appropriated  shall  be  reduced   to
                            -7-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1        accommodate    the   Savings   and   Stability   Reserves
 2        established under this Act.  Any necessary  prorating  of
 3        periodic  payments  from  the  Common  School Fund or the
 4        Education Assistance Fund shall  be  distributed  equally
 5        among the remaining payments for fiscal year ......
 6             (e)  By  March  1,  .....,  each  certifying officer
 7        shall notify the Comptroller of all amounts  that  he  or
 8        she  has designated to be held in a Savings and Stability
 9        Reserve.  The notification shall include the total amount
10        and a complete list by line item.
11             (f)  By  March  15,  .....,  the  Comptroller  shall
12        certify to the Governor, to the  President  and  Minority
13        Leader  of  the  Senate,  and to the Speaker and Minority
14        Leader  of  the  House  of  Representatives  whether  the
15        amounts designated by each certifying officer to be  held
16        in  a Savings and Stability Reserve are equal the amounts
17        required under this Act.
18             (g)  The designated Savings and  Stability  Reserves
19        shall take effect on April 1, ......
20             Section   1020.  Authority   to   make   reductions.
21        Notwithstanding any other Act to the contrary, each State
22        agency is authorized to limit, reduce or adjust services,
23        payment  rates,  expenditures,  transfers and eligibility
24        criteria as necessary to implement Savings and  Stability
25        Reserves  under  this  Act,  to  the  extent permitted by
26        federal  law.   Any   such   adjustment,   reduction   or
27        limitation shall expire on July 1, ......
28             Section 1025.  Severability.  Each of the provisions
29        of  this  Act,  including  the amendatory provisions, are
30        severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
31             Section 1090.  Repeal.   This  Act  is  repealed  on
                            -8-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1        October 1, ......
 2             Section   1099.  Effective  date.   This  Act  takes
 3        effect upon becoming law."
 4        Section 45.  Contracting debts to cover a shortfall.
 5        (a)  Whenever appropriations made  from  the  Fund  would
 6    cause  the balance in the Fund to be less than the Short Term
 7    Borrowing  Threshold,  the  Governor  may  request  that  the
 8    Comptroller and Treasurer agree to contract debts to cover  a
 9    portion  of  the  general funds revenue shortfall.  The Short
10    Term Borrowing Threshold shall be determined by the following
11    method:
12             If  the  Illinois  Balanced  Budget  Commission  has
13        approved a final Balanced Budget Revenue Estimate for the
14        fiscal year, the Short  Term  Borrowing  Threshold  shall
15        equal  2% of the final Estimate as it has been revised by
16        the Commission.
17             If the Illinois Balanced Budget Commission  has  not
18        approved a final Balanced Budget Revenue Estimate for the
19        fiscal   year,   the  Governor  shall  request  that  the
20        Comptroller certify the total  amount  of  general  funds
21        appropriations enacted by the General Assembly and signed
22        by  the  Governor  for  the  fiscal year.  The Short Term
23        Borrowing Threshold  shall  equal  2.04%  of  the  amount
24        certified by the Comptroller.
25        The  total  amount of debt may not exceed an amount equal
26    to 5 times the Short Term Borrowing Threshold for the  fiscal
27    year,  and  must be paid in full within one year.  The moneys
28    borrowed pursuant to this Section shall be deposited into the
29    Illinois  Savings  and  Stability  Fund,   and   appropriated
30    pursuant to this Act.
31        (b)  Whenever  the  borrowing of money under this Section
32    is contemplated, it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Governor,
                            -9-                LRB9004968DNmb
 1    Comptroller  and Treasurer to advertise for proposals for the
 2    loan, for 10 days, in one of the daily newspapers printed  in
 3    each  of  the  cities  of  New York, Chicago and Springfield,
 4    setting forth  in  the  advertisements  the  amount  of  debt
 5    proposed  to  be  contracted  and  the time and place for the
 6    payment of the principal and  interest.  The  loan  shall  be
 7    awarded  to  the person or persons agreeing to take it at the
 8    lowest rate  of  interest  not  exceeding  the  maximum  rate
 9    authorized by the Bond Authorization Act.
10        There  shall  be  prepared  under  the  direction  of the
11    officers named in this subsection (b) such form of  bonds  or
12    certificates  as  they  shall  deem  advisable,  which,  when
13    issued,  shall  be  signed  by the Governor, Comptroller, and
14    Treasurer, and shall be registered by the  Comptroller  in  a
15    book to be kept by her or him for that purpose.  The interest
16    and  principal of the loan shall be paid by the Treasurer out
17    of the General Obligation Bond Retirement and Interest Fund.
18        This  Act  constitutes  an  irrevocable  and   continuing
19    appropriation  of  amounts from the State Treasury sufficient
20    for the payment of the interest and principal  of  any  debts
21    contracted under this Act.
22        The  Governor,  Comptroller, and Treasurer are authorized
23    to order,  pursuant  to  the  proceedings  authorizing  those
24    debts,  the transfer of any moneys on deposit in the treasury
25    into the General Obligation Bond Retirement and Interest Fund
26    at times and in amounts they deem necessary  to  provide  for
27    the payment of that interest and principal.
28        The Comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to draw
29    her  or  his warrant on the State Treasurer for the amount of
30    all such payments.
31        Section 900.  The Short Term Borrowing Act is amended  by
32    adding Section 3.1 as follows:
                            -10-               LRB9004968DNmb
 1        (30 ILCS 340/3.1 new)
 2        Sec.  3.1.  Repeal.   This  Act  is  repealed on April 1,
 3    2003.
 4        Section 999.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 5    becoming law.

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