Illinois 2023-2024 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB2101 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 02/09/2023

                            103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2101 Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Robert F. Martwick SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:  40 ILCS 5/22C-11540 ILCS 5/22C-11640 ILCS 5/22C-11940 ILCS 5/22C-123  Amends the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a trustee shall qualify by taking an oath of office before the Secretary of State or the Board's appointed legal counsel (instead of only the Secretary of State). In a provision concerning reimbursement for travel expenses for trustees, removes a reference to the standards in effect for members of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. In a provision concerning voting for trustees by participants and beneficiaries, removes language requiring the ballot envelope to have a certificate stating that the person voting the ballot is entitled to vote. Provides that a trustee appointed to fill the vacancy of an elected trustee shall serve until a successor is elected. Removes language providing that for a vacancy of an elected trustee occurring with an unexpired term of 6 months or more, an election shall be conducted for the vacancy. Makes a conforming change. Provides that special elections to fill the remainder of an unexpired term vacated by an elected trustee shall be held concurrently with and in the same manner as the next regular election for an elected trustee position. Provides that a copy of the rules adopted by the Fund shall be posted on the Fund's website (instead of filed with the Secretary of State and the Department of Insurance). Makes changes concerning indemnification of the Fund, the board, and the officers and employees of the Fund. Makes other changes.  LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b   A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2101 Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Robert F. Martwick SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:  40 ILCS 5/22C-11540 ILCS 5/22C-11640 ILCS 5/22C-11940 ILCS 5/22C-123 40 ILCS 5/22C-115  40 ILCS 5/22C-116  40 ILCS 5/22C-119  40 ILCS 5/22C-123  Amends the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a trustee shall qualify by taking an oath of office before the Secretary of State or the Board's appointed legal counsel (instead of only the Secretary of State). In a provision concerning reimbursement for travel expenses for trustees, removes a reference to the standards in effect for members of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. In a provision concerning voting for trustees by participants and beneficiaries, removes language requiring the ballot envelope to have a certificate stating that the person voting the ballot is entitled to vote. Provides that a trustee appointed to fill the vacancy of an elected trustee shall serve until a successor is elected. Removes language providing that for a vacancy of an elected trustee occurring with an unexpired term of 6 months or more, an election shall be conducted for the vacancy. Makes a conforming change. Provides that special elections to fill the remainder of an unexpired term vacated by an elected trustee shall be held concurrently with and in the same manner as the next regular election for an elected trustee position. Provides that a copy of the rules adopted by the Fund shall be posted on the Fund's website (instead of filed with the Secretary of State and the Department of Insurance). Makes changes concerning indemnification of the Fund, the board, and the officers and employees of the Fund. Makes other changes.  LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b     LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b   A BILL FOR
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2101 Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Robert F. Martwick SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
40 ILCS 5/22C-11540 ILCS 5/22C-11640 ILCS 5/22C-11940 ILCS 5/22C-123 40 ILCS 5/22C-115  40 ILCS 5/22C-116  40 ILCS 5/22C-119  40 ILCS 5/22C-123
40 ILCS 5/22C-115
40 ILCS 5/22C-116
40 ILCS 5/22C-119
40 ILCS 5/22C-123
Amends the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a trustee shall qualify by taking an oath of office before the Secretary of State or the Board's appointed legal counsel (instead of only the Secretary of State). In a provision concerning reimbursement for travel expenses for trustees, removes a reference to the standards in effect for members of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. In a provision concerning voting for trustees by participants and beneficiaries, removes language requiring the ballot envelope to have a certificate stating that the person voting the ballot is entitled to vote. Provides that a trustee appointed to fill the vacancy of an elected trustee shall serve until a successor is elected. Removes language providing that for a vacancy of an elected trustee occurring with an unexpired term of 6 months or more, an election shall be conducted for the vacancy. Makes a conforming change. Provides that special elections to fill the remainder of an unexpired term vacated by an elected trustee shall be held concurrently with and in the same manner as the next regular election for an elected trustee position. Provides that a copy of the rules adopted by the Fund shall be posted on the Fund's website (instead of filed with the Secretary of State and the Department of Insurance). Makes changes concerning indemnification of the Fund, the board, and the officers and employees of the Fund. Makes other changes.
LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b     LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b
    LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b
A BILL FOR
SB2101LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b   SB2101  LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b
  SB2101  LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b
1  AN ACT concerning public employee benefits.
2  Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3  represented in the General Assembly:
4  Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by
5  changing Sections 22C-115, 22C-116, 22C-119, and 22C-123 as
6  follows:
7  (40 ILCS 5/22C-115)
8  Sec. 22C-115. Board of Trustees of the Fund.
9  (a) No later than February 1, 2020 (one month after the
10  effective date of Public Act 101-610) or as soon thereafter as
11  may be practicable, the Governor shall appoint, by and with
12  the advice and consent of the Senate, a transition board of
13  trustees consisting of 9 members as follows:
14  (1) three members representing municipalities and fire
15  protection districts who are mayors, presidents, chief
16  executive officers, chief financial officers, or other
17  officers, executives, or department heads of
18  municipalities or fire protection districts and appointed
19  from among candidates recommended by the Illinois
20  Municipal League;
21  (2) three members representing participants who are
22  participants and appointed from among candidates
23  recommended by the statewide labor organization

 

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2101 Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Robert F. Martwick SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
40 ILCS 5/22C-11540 ILCS 5/22C-11640 ILCS 5/22C-11940 ILCS 5/22C-123 40 ILCS 5/22C-115  40 ILCS 5/22C-116  40 ILCS 5/22C-119  40 ILCS 5/22C-123
40 ILCS 5/22C-115
40 ILCS 5/22C-116
40 ILCS 5/22C-119
40 ILCS 5/22C-123
Amends the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a trustee shall qualify by taking an oath of office before the Secretary of State or the Board's appointed legal counsel (instead of only the Secretary of State). In a provision concerning reimbursement for travel expenses for trustees, removes a reference to the standards in effect for members of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. In a provision concerning voting for trustees by participants and beneficiaries, removes language requiring the ballot envelope to have a certificate stating that the person voting the ballot is entitled to vote. Provides that a trustee appointed to fill the vacancy of an elected trustee shall serve until a successor is elected. Removes language providing that for a vacancy of an elected trustee occurring with an unexpired term of 6 months or more, an election shall be conducted for the vacancy. Makes a conforming change. Provides that special elections to fill the remainder of an unexpired term vacated by an elected trustee shall be held concurrently with and in the same manner as the next regular election for an elected trustee position. Provides that a copy of the rules adopted by the Fund shall be posted on the Fund's website (instead of filed with the Secretary of State and the Department of Insurance). Makes changes concerning indemnification of the Fund, the board, and the officers and employees of the Fund. Makes other changes.
LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b     LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b
    LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b
A BILL FOR

 

 

40 ILCS 5/22C-115
40 ILCS 5/22C-116
40 ILCS 5/22C-119
40 ILCS 5/22C-123



    LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b

 

 



 

  SB2101  LRB103 30747 RPS 57226 b


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1  representing firefighters employed by at least 85
2  municipalities that is affiliated with the Illinois State
3  Federation of Labor;
4  (3) one member representing beneficiaries who is a
5  beneficiary and appointed from among the candidate or
6  candidates recommended by the statewide labor organization
7  representing firefighters employed by at least 85
8  municipalities that is affiliated with the Illinois State
9  Federation of Labor;
10  (4) one member recommended by the Illinois Municipal
11  League; and
12  (5) one member who is a participant recommended by the
13  statewide labor organization representing firefighters
14  employed by at least 85 municipalities and that is
15  affiliated with the Illinois State Federation of Labor.
16  The transition board members shall serve until the initial
17  permanent board members are elected and qualified.
18  The transition board of trustees shall select the
19  chairperson of the transition board of trustees from among the
20  trustees for the duration of the transition board's tenure.
21  (b) The permanent board of trustees shall consist of 9
22  members comprised as follows:
23  (1) Three members who are mayors, presidents, chief
24  executive officers, chief financial officers, or other
25  officers, executives, or department heads of
26  municipalities or fire protection districts that have

 

 

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1  participating pension funds and are elected by the mayors
2  and presidents of municipalities or fire protection
3  districts that have participating pension funds.
4  (2) Three members who are participants of
5  participating pension funds and elected by the
6  participants of participating pension funds.
7  (3) One member who is a beneficiary of a participating
8  pension fund and is elected by the beneficiaries of
9  participating pension funds.
10  (4) One member recommended by the Illinois Municipal
11  League who shall be appointed by the Governor with the
12  advice and consent of the Senate.
13  (5) One member recommended by the statewide labor
14  organization representing firefighters employed by at
15  least 85 municipalities and that is affiliated with the
16  Illinois State Federation of Labor who shall be appointed
17  by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
18  The permanent board of trustees shall select the
19  chairperson of the permanent board of trustees from among the
20  trustees for a term of 2 years. The holder of the office of
21  chairperson shall alternate between a person elected or
22  appointed under item (1) or (4) of this subsection (b) and a
23  person elected or appointed under item (2), (3), or (5) of this
24  subsection (b).
25  (c) Each trustee shall qualify by taking an oath of office
26  before the Secretary of State or the Board's appointed legal

 

 

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1  counsel stating that he or she will diligently and honestly
2  administer the affairs of the board and will not violate or
3  knowingly permit the violation of any provision of this
4  Article.
5  (d) Trustees shall receive no salary for service on the
6  board but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred
7  while on business for the board according to the standards in
8  effect for members of the Commission on Government Forecasting
9  and Accountability.
10  A municipality or fire protection district employing a
11  firefighter who is an elected or appointed trustee of the
12  board must allow reasonable time off with compensation for the
13  firefighter to conduct official business related to his or her
14  position on the board, including time for travel. The board
15  shall notify the municipality or fire protection district in
16  advance of the dates, times, and locations of this official
17  business. The Fund shall timely reimburse the municipality or
18  fire protection district for the reasonable costs incurred
19  that are due to the firefighter's absence.
20  (e) No trustee shall have any interest in any brokerage
21  fee, commission, or other profit or gain arising out of any
22  investment directed by the board. This subsection does not
23  preclude ownership by any member of any minority interest in
24  any common stock or any corporate obligation in which an
25  investment is directed by the board.
26  (f) Notwithstanding any provision or interpretation of law

 

 

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1  to the contrary, any member of the transition board may also be
2  elected or appointed as a member of the permanent board.
3  Notwithstanding any provision or interpretation of law to
4  the contrary, any trustee of a fund established under Article
5  4 of this Code may also be appointed as a member of the
6  transition board or elected or appointed as a member of the
7  permanent board.
8  The restriction in Section 3.1 of the Lobbyist
9  Registration Act shall not apply to a member of the transition
10  board appointed pursuant to items (4) or (5) of subsection (a)
11  or to a member of the permanent board appointed pursuant to
12  items (4) or (5) of subsection (b).
13  (Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)
14  (40 ILCS 5/22C-116)
15  Sec. 22C-116. Conduct and administration of elections;
16  terms of office.
17  (a) For the election of the permanent trustees, the
18  transition board shall administer the initial elections and
19  the permanent board shall administer all subsequent elections.
20  Each board shall develop and implement such procedures as it
21  determines to be appropriate for the conduct of such
22  elections. For the purposes of obtaining information necessary
23  to conduct elections under this Section, participating pension
24  funds shall cooperate with the Fund.
25  (b) All nominations for election shall be by petition.

 

 

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1  Each petition for a trustee shall be executed as follows:
2  (1) for trustees to be elected by the mayors and
3  presidents of municipalities or fire protection districts
4  that have participating pension funds, by at least 20 such
5  mayors and presidents; except that this item (1) shall
6  apply only with respect to participating pension funds;
7  (2) for trustees to be elected by participants, by at
8  least 400 participants; and
9  (3) for trustees to be elected by beneficiaries, by at
10  least 100 beneficiaries.
11  (c) A separate ballot shall be used for each class of
12  trustee. The board shall prepare and send ballots and ballot
13  envelopes to the participants and beneficiaries eligible
14  voters to vote in accordance with rules adopted by the board.
15  The ballots shall contain the names of all candidates in
16  alphabetical order. The ballot envelope shall have on the
17  outside a form of certificate stating that the person voting
18  the ballot is a participant or beneficiary entitled to vote.
19  Eligible voters Participants and beneficiaries, upon
20  receipt of the ballot, shall vote the ballot and place it in
21  the ballot envelope, seal the envelope, execute the
22  certificate thereon, and return the ballot to the Fund.
23  The board shall set a final date for ballot return, and
24  ballots received prior to that date in a ballot envelope with a
25  properly executed certificate and properly voted shall be
26  valid ballots.

 

 

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1  The board shall set a day for counting the ballots and name
2  judges and clerks of election to conduct the count of ballots
3  and shall make any rules necessary for the conduct of the
4  count.
5  The candidate or candidates receiving the highest number
6  of votes for each class of trustee shall be elected. In the
7  case of a tie vote, the winner shall be determined in
8  accordance with procedures developed by the Department of
9  Insurance.
10  In lieu of conducting elections via mail balloting as
11  described in this Section, the board may instead adopt rules
12  to provide for elections to be carried out solely via Internet
13  balloting or phone balloting. Nothing in this Section
14  prohibits the Fund from contracting with a third party to
15  administer the election in accordance with this Section.
16  (d) At any election, voting shall be as follows:
17  (1) Each person authorized to vote for an elected
18  trustee may cast one vote for each related position for
19  which such person is entitled to vote and may cast such
20  vote for any candidate or candidates on the ballot for
21  such trustee position.
22  (2) If only one candidate for each position is
23  properly nominated in petitions received, that candidate
24  shall be deemed the winner and no election under this
25  Section shall be required.
26  (3) The results shall be entered in the minutes of the

 

 

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1  first meeting of the board following the tally of votes.
2  (e) The initial election for permanent trustees shall be
3  held and the permanent board shall be seated no later than 12
4  months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
5  101st General Assembly. Each subsequent election shall be held
6  no later than 30 days prior to the end of the term of the
7  incumbent trustees.
8  (f) The elected trustees shall each serve for terms of 4
9  years commencing on the first business day of the first month
10  after election; except that the terms of office of the
11  initially elected trustees shall be as follows:
12  (1) One trustee elected pursuant to item (1) of
13  subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall serve for a term
14  of 2 years and 2 trustees elected pursuant to item (1) of
15  subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall serve for a term
16  of 4 years;
17  (2) One trustee elected pursuant to item (2) of
18  subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall serve for a term
19  of 2 years and 2 trustees elected pursuant to item (2) of
20  subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall serve for a term
21  of 4 years; and
22  (3) The trustee elected pursuant to item (3) of
23  subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall serve for a term
24  of 2 years.
25  (g) The trustees appointed pursuant to items (4) and (5)
26  of subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall each serve for a

 

 

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1  term of 4 years commencing on the first business day of the
2  first month after the election of the elected trustees.
3  (h) A member of the board who was elected pursuant to item
4  (1) of subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 who ceases to serve as
5  a mayor, president, chief executive officer, chief financial
6  officer, or other officer, executive, or department head of a
7  municipality or fire protection district that has a
8  participating pension fund shall not be eligible to serve as a
9  member of the board and his or her position shall be deemed
10  vacant. A member of the board who was elected by the
11  participants of participating pension funds who ceases to be a
12  participant may serve the remainder of his or her elected
13  term.
14  For a vacancy of an elected trustee occurring with an
15  unexpired term of 6 months or more, an election shall be
16  conducted for the vacancy in accordance with Section 22C-115
17  and this Section.
18  For a vacancy of an elected trustee occurring with an
19  unexpired term of less than 6 months, the vacancy shall be
20  filled by appointment by the board for the unexpired term as
21  follows: a vacancy of a member elected pursuant to item (1) of
22  subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall be filled by a mayor,
23  president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer,
24  or other officer, executive, or department head of a
25  municipality or fire protection district that has a
26  participating pension fund; a vacancy of a member elected

 

 

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1  pursuant to item (2) of subsection (b) of Section 22C-115
2  shall be filled by a participant of a participating pension
3  fund; and a vacancy of a member elected under item (3) of
4  subsection (b) of Section 22C-115 shall be filled by a
5  beneficiary of a participating pension fund. A trustee
6  appointed to fill the vacancy of an elected trustee shall
7  serve until a successor is elected. Special elections to fill
8  the remainder of an unexpired term vacated by an elected
9  trustee shall be held concurrently with and in the same manner
10  as the next regular election for an elected trustee position.
11  Vacancies among the appointed trustees shall be filled for
12  unexpired terms by appointment in like manner as for the
13  original appointments.
14  (Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)
15  (40 ILCS 5/22C-119)
16  Sec. 22C-119. Adoption of rules. The board shall adopt
17  such rules (not inconsistent with this Code) as in its
18  judgment are desirable to implement and properly administer
19  this Article. Such rules shall specifically provide for the
20  following: (1) the implementation of the transition process
21  described in Section 22C-120; (2) the process by which the
22  participating pension funds may request transfer of funds; (3)
23  the process for the transfer in, receipt for, and investment
24  of pension assets received by the Fund after the transition
25  period from the participating pension funds; (4) the process

 

 

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1  by which contributions from municipalities and fire protection
2  districts for the benefit of the participating pension funds
3  may, but are not required to, be directly transferred to the
4  Fund; and (5) compensation and benefits for its employees. A
5  copy of the rules adopted by the Fund shall be posted on the
6  Fund's website filed with the Secretary of State and the
7  Department of Insurance. The adoption and effectiveness of
8  such rules shall not be subject to Article 5 of the Illinois
9  Administrative Procedure Act.
10  (Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)
11  (40 ILCS 5/22C-123)
12  Sec. 22C-123. Custodian. The pension fund assets
13  transferred to or otherwise acquired by the Fund shall be
14  placed in the custody of a custodian who shall provide
15  adequate safe deposit facilities for those assets and hold all
16  such securities, funds, and other assets subject to the order
17  of the Fund.
18  Each custodian shall furnish a corporate surety bond of
19  such amount as the board designates, which bond shall
20  indemnify the Fund, the board, and the officers and employees
21  of the Fund against any loss that may result from any action or
22  failure to act by the custodian or any of the custodian's
23  agents, or provide insurance coverages of such type and limits
24  as the board designates. All charges incidental to the
25  procuring and giving of any bond shall be paid by the board and

 

 

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1  each bond shall be in the custody of the board.
2  (Source: P.A. 101-610, eff. 1-1-20.)

 

 

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