State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ]

90_SB1911

      40 ILCS 5/14-120          from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 14-120
          Amends the State Employee Article of the Pension Code  to
      make stylistic changes in the definition of "survivor annuity
      beneficiary".  Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9011580EGfg
                                               LRB9011580EGfg
 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the Illinois Pension Code by changing
 2    Section 14-120.
 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 14-120 as follows:
 7        (40 ILCS 5/14-120) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 14-120)
 8        Sec.  14-120.   Survivors  annuities  -  Conditions   for
 9    payments.  A survivors annuity is established for all members
10    of  the  System.  Upon the death of any male person who was a
11    member on July 19, 1961, however,  his  widow  may  have  the
12    option  of  receiving  the  widow's  annuity provided in this
13    Article, in lieu of the survivors annuity.
14        (a)  A survivors annuity beneficiary, as herein  defined,
15    is  eligible  for  a survivors annuity if the deceased member
16    had completed at least 1 1/2 years of contributing creditable
17    service if death occurred:
18             (1)  while in service;
19             (2)  while on an approved  or  authorized  leave  of
20        absence    from   service,   not   exceeding   one   year
21        continuously; or
22             (3)  while  in   receipt   of   a   non-occupational
23        disability or an occupational disability benefit.
24        (b)  If  death of the member occurs after withdrawal, the
25    survivors annuity beneficiary is eligible  for  such  annuity
26    only  if  the  member had fulfilled at the date of withdrawal
27    the prescribed service conditions for establishing a right in
28    a retirement annuity.
29        (c)  Payment  of  the  survivors  annuity   shall   begin
30    immediately  if  the beneficiary is 50 years or over, or upon
31    attainment of age 50 if the beneficiary is under that age  at
                            -2-                LRB9011580EGfg
 1    the date of the member's death. In the case of survivors of a
 2    member whose death occurred between November 1, 1970 and July
 3    15,  1971,  the  payment of the survivors annuity shall begin
 4    upon October 1, 1977, if the beneficiary is then 50 years  of
 5    age  or  older,  or  upon  the  attainment  of  age 50 if the
 6    beneficiary is under that age on October 1, 1977.
 7        If an eligible child or children, under the care  of  the
 8    spouse  also  survive the member, the survivors annuity shall
 9    begin immediately without regard to whether  the  beneficiary
10    has attained age 50.
11        Benefits  under  this Section shall accrue and be payable
12    for whole calendar months, beginning on the first day of  the
13    month  after  the  initiating  event occurs and ending on the
14    last day of the month in which the terminating event occurs.
15        (d)  A survivor annuity beneficiary means:
16             (1)  A spouse  of  a  member  or  annuitant  if  the
17        current  marriage  with  the  member  or annuitant was in
18        effect for at least one year at the date of the member or
19        annuitant's member's death or at least one  year  at  the
20        date of his or her withdrawal, whichever first occurs.
21             (2)  An  unmarried  child under age 18 (under age 22
22        if a full-time student) of the member  or  annuitant;  an
23        unmarried  stepchild  under  age  18  (under  age 22 if a
24        full-time student) who has been such  for  at  least  one
25        year  at  the  date of the member's death or at least one
26        year at the date of withdrawal, whichever  first  occurs;
27        an  unmarried adopted child under age 18 (under age 22 if
28        a full-time student) if  the  adoption  proceedings  were
29        initiated  at  least  one  year  prior  to  the  death or
30        withdrawal of the member or  annuitant,  whichever  first
31        occurs;  and  an unmarried child over age 18 if he or she
32        is  dependent  by  reason  of  a   physical   or   mental
33        disability,  so long as the physical or mental disability
34        continues.  For purposes of this  subsection,  disability
                            -3-                LRB9011580EGfg
 1        means  inability  to  engage  in  any substantial gainful
 2        activity by reason of any medically determinable physical
 3        or mental impairment which can be expected to  result  in
 4        death  or which has lasted or can be expected to last for
 5        a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
 6             (3)  A dependent parent of the member or  annuitant;
 7        a  dependent  step-parent by a marriage contracted before
 8        the member or annuitant attained age 18; or  a  dependent
 9        adopting  parent  by  whom  the  member  or annuitant was
10        adopted before he or she attained age 18.
11        (e)  Remarriage before age  55  or  death  of  a  spouse;
12    marriage  or death of a child; or remarriage before age 55 or
13    death of a parent terminates the survivors annuity payable on
14    account of such beneficiary.   Remarriage  of  a  prospective
15    beneficiary  prior  to  the attainment of age 50 disqualifies
16    the  beneficiary  for  the  annuity   expectancy   hereunder.
17    Termination   due  to  a  marriage  or  remarriage  shall  be
18    permanent regardless of any future changes in marital status.
19        Any person whose survivors annuity was terminated  during
20    1978  or  1979  due  to remarriage at age 55 or over shall be
21    eligible to apply,  not  later  than  July  1,  1990,  for  a
22    resumption of that annuity, to begin on July 1, 1990.
23        (f)  The term "dependent" relating to a survivors annuity
24    means  a beneficiary of a survivors annuity who was receiving
25    from the member at the date of the member's  death  at  least
26    1/2  of the support for maintenance including board, lodging,
27    medical care and like living costs.
28        (g)  If there is no eligible spouse surviving the member,
29    or if a survivors annuity beneficiary includes a  spouse  who
30    dies  or  remarries,  the  annuity is payable to an unmarried
31    child or children.  If at the date of  death  of  the  member
32    there is no spouse or unmarried child, payments shall be made
33    to  a  dependent parent or parents.  If no eligible survivors
34    annuity beneficiary survives the member, the non-occupational
                            -4-                LRB9011580EGfg
 1    death benefit is payable  in  the  manner  provided  in  this
 2    Article.
 3        (h)  Survivor  benefits  do  not  affect any reversionary
 4    annuity.
 5        (i)  If a survivors annuity beneficiary becomes  entitled
 6    to  a  widow's  annuity or one or more survivors annuities or
 7    both such annuities, the beneficiary shall elect  to  receive
 8    only one of such annuities.
 9        (j)  Contributing  creditable  service  under  the  State
10    Universities  Retirement  System  and the Teachers Retirement
11    System of the  State  of  Illinois  shall  be  considered  in
12    determining  whether  the  member  has  met  the contributing
13    service requirements of this Section.
14        (k)  In lieu of the Survivor's Annuity described in  this
15    Section,  the  spouse  of the member has the option to select
16    the Nonoccupational Death Benefit described in this  Article,
17    provided  the  spouse  is  the  sole  survivor  and  the sole
18    nominated beneficiary of the member.
19        (l)  The  changes  made  to  this  Section  and  Sections
20    14-118, 14-119, and 14-128 by this amendatory  Act  of  1997,
21    relating  to  benefits for certain unmarried children who are
22    full-time students under age  22,  apply  without  regard  to
23    whether  the  deceased  member was in service on or after the
24    effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997.  These changes
25    do not authorize the repayment of a refund or  a  re-election
26    of   benefits,  and  any  benefit  or  increase  in  benefits
27    resulting from these changes is not payable retroactively for
28    any period before the effective date of this  amendatory  Act
29    of 1997.
30    (Source: P.A. 90-448, eff. 8-16-97.)
31        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
32    becoming law.

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