Illinois 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB2152 Enrolled / Bill

Filed 05/12/2023

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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 Section 22A-106 and by adding Sections 15-177.5,
6  15-177.6, 16-188, 16-189, 22A-113.4, and 22A-113.5 as follows:
7  (40 ILCS 5/15-177.5 new)
8  Sec. 15-177.5. Proxy voting.
9  (a) In this Section, "fiduciary" has the meaning given to
10  that term in Section 1-101.2.
11  (b) Notwithstanding the Board's investment authority, and
12  upon the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of the
13  members of the Board, the State Treasurer shall be authorized
14  to manage the domestic and international proxy voting activity
15  for shares held directly by the System and execute required
16  ballots on behalf of the System. The Board's consent granted
17  under this Section may be revoked at any time upon the
18  affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board.
19  (c) When the State Treasurer is managing any proxy voting
20  activity in accordance with subsection (b), the following
21  shall apply: (1) the State Treasurer shall provide the Board
22  with (i) comprehensive proxy voting reports on a quarterly
23  basis and as requested by the Board and (ii) access to

 

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1  communications with its third-party proxy voting service, if
2  any, used in preparing the comprehensive proxy voting reports
3  requested by the Board; and (2) the Board may provide the State
4  Treasurer with guidance for proxy voting, which, if provided,
5  the State Treasurer shall consider when voting.
6  (d) The State Treasurer shall act as a fiduciary to the
7  System with regard to all aspects of the State Treasurer's
8  management of the proxy voting activity as provided under
9  subsection (b).
10  (e) With respect to this Section, and with respect to the
11  State Treasurer's management of the proxy voting activity as
12  provided for under subsection (b), the Board is exempt from
13  any conflicting statutory or common law obligations, including
14  any fiduciary or co-fiduciary duties under this Article and
15  Article 1.
16  (f) With respect to this Section and with respect to the
17  State Treasurer's management of the proxy voting activity as
18  provided for under subsection (b), the Board, its staff, and
19  the trustees of the Board shall not be liable for any damage or
20  suits where damages are sought for negligent or wrongful acts
21  alleged to have been committed in connection with the
22  management of proxy voting activity as provided for under this
23  Section.
24  (g) In order to facilitate the State Treasurer's proxy
25  voting activities under this Section and before the State
26  Treasurer begins proxy voting activities, the State Treasurer

 

 

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1  and the Board shall enter into an intergovernmental agreement
2  concerning costs, proxy voting guidance, reports and other
3  documents, and other issues.
4  (h) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2027.
5  (40 ILCS 5/15-177.6 new)
6  Sec. 15-177.6. Fiduciary report. On or before September 1,
7  2023, and annually thereafter, the Board shall publish its
8  guidelines for voting proxy ballots and a detailed report on
9  its website describing how the Board is considering
10  sustainability factors as defined in the Illinois Sustainable
11  Investing Act. The report shall:
12  (1) describe the Board's strategy as it relates to the
13  consideration of sustainable investment factors;
14  (2) outline the process for regular assessment across
15  the total portfolio of potential effects from systemic and
16  regulatory risks and opportunities, including, but not
17  limited to, sustainability factors on the assets of the
18  plan;
19  (3) disclose how each investment manager serving as a
20  fiduciary to the Board integrates sustainability factors
21  into the investment manager's investment decision-making
22  process;
23  (4) provide a comprehensive proxy voting report;
24  (5) provide an overview of all corporate engagement
25  and stewardship activities; and

 

 

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1  (6) include any other information the Board deems
2  necessary.
3  (40 ILCS 5/16-188 new)
4  Sec. 16-188. Proxy voting.
5  (a) In this Section, "fiduciary" has the meaning given to
6  that term in Section 1-101.2.
7  (b) Notwithstanding the Board's investment authority, and
8  upon the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of the
9  members of the Board, the State Treasurer shall be authorized
10  to manage the domestic and international proxy voting activity
11  for shares held directly by the System and execute required
12  ballots on behalf of the System. The Board's consent granted
13  under this Section may be revoked at any time upon the
14  affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board.
15  (c) When the State Treasurer is managing any proxy voting
16  activity in accordance with subsection (b), the following
17  shall apply: (1) the State Treasurer shall provide the Board
18  with (i) comprehensive proxy voting reports on a quarterly
19  basis and as requested by the Board and (ii) access to
20  communications with its third-party proxy voting service, if
21  any, used in preparing the comprehensive proxy voting reports
22  requested by the Board; and (2) the Board may provide the State
23  Treasurer with guidance for proxy voting, which, if provided,
24  the State Treasurer shall consider when voting.
25  (d) The State Treasurer shall act as a fiduciary to the

 

 

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1  System with regard to all aspects of the State Treasurer's
2  management of the proxy voting activity as provided under
3  subsection (b).
4  (e) With respect to this Section, and with respect to the
5  State Treasurer's management of the proxy voting activity as
6  provided for under subsection (b), the Board is exempt from
7  any conflicting statutory or common law obligations, including
8  any fiduciary or co-fiduciary duties under this Article and
9  Article 1.
10  (f) With respect to this Section and with respect to the
11  State Treasurer's management of the proxy voting activity as
12  provided for under subsection (b), the Board, its staff, and
13  the trustees of the Board shall not be liable for any damage or
14  suits where damages are sought for negligent or wrongful acts
15  alleged to have been committed in connection with the
16  management of proxy voting activity as provided for under this
17  Section.
18  (g) In order to facilitate the State Treasurer's proxy
19  voting activities under this Section and before the State
20  Treasurer begins proxy voting activities, the State Treasurer
21  and the Board shall enter into an intergovernmental agreement
22  concerning costs, proxy voting guidance, reports and other
23  documents, and other issues.
24  (h) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2027.
25  (40 ILCS 5/16-189 new)

 

 

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1  Sec. 16-189. Fiduciary report. On or before September 1,
2  2023, and annually thereafter, the Board shall publish its
3  guidelines for voting proxy ballots and a detailed report on
4  its website describing how the Board is considering
5  sustainability factors as defined in the Illinois Sustainable
6  Investing Act. The report shall:
7  (1) describe the Board's strategy as it relates to the
8  consideration of sustainable investment factors;
9  (2) outline the process for regular assessment across
10  the total portfolio of potential effects from systemic and
11  regulatory risks and opportunities, including, but not
12  limited to, sustainability factors on the assets of the
13  plan;
14  (3) disclose how each investment manager serving as a
15  fiduciary to the Board integrates sustainability factors
16  into the investment manager's investment decision-making
17  process;
18  (4) provide a comprehensive proxy voting report;
19  (5) provide an overview of all corporate engagement
20  and stewardship activities; and
21  (6) include any other information the Board deems
22  necessary.
23  (40 ILCS 5/22A-106) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 22A-106)
24  Sec. 22A-106. "Manage": To invest, reinvest, exchange and
25  to perform all investment functions with regard to reserves,

 

 

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1  funds, assets, securities and moneys which the board is
2  authorized to invest, and to preserve and protect such
3  reserves, funds, assets, securities and moneys, including, but
4  not limited to, authority to vote any stocks, bonds or other
5  securities and to give general or special proxies or powers of
6  attorney with or without power of substitution, except that
7  the authority to vote proxies is subject to Section 22A-113.4.
8  This term shall not include any functions, duties and
9  responsibilities incident to the operation and administration
10  of pension funds or education fund other than that of
11  investments.
12  (Source: P.A. 84-1127.)
13  (40 ILCS 5/22A-113.4 new)
14  Sec. 22A-113.4. Proxy voting.
15  (a) In this Section, "fiduciary" has the meaning given to
16  that term in Section 1-101.2.
17  (b) Notwithstanding the Board's investment authority, and
18  upon the affirmative vote of at least three-fifths of the
19  members of the Board, the State Treasurer shall be authorized
20  to manage the domestic and international proxy voting activity
21  for shares held directly by the Board and execute required
22  ballots on behalf of the Board. The Board's consent granted
23  under this Section may be revoked at any time upon the
24  affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board.
25  (c) When the State Treasurer is managing any proxy voting

 

 

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1  activity in accordance with subsection (b), the following
2  shall apply: (1) the State Treasurer shall provide the Board
3  with (i) comprehensive proxy voting reports on a quarterly
4  basis and as requested by the Board and (ii) access to
5  communications with its third-party proxy voting service, if
6  any, used in preparing the comprehensive proxy voting reports
7  requested by the Board; and (2) the Board may provide the State
8  Treasurer with guidance for proxy voting, which, if provided,
9  the State Treasurer shall consider when voting.
10  (d) The State Treasurer shall act as a fiduciary to the
11  Illinois State Board of Investment with regard to all aspects
12  of the State Treasurer's management of the proxy voting
13  activity as provided under subsection (b).
14  (e) With respect to this Section, and with respect to the
15  State Treasurer's management of the proxy voting activity as
16  provided for under subsection (b), the Board is exempt from
17  any conflicting statutory or common law obligations, including
18  any fiduciary or co-fiduciary duties under this Article and
19  Article 1.
20  (f) With respect to this Section and with respect to the
21  State Treasurer's management of the proxy voting activity as
22  provided for under subsection (b), the Board, its staff, and
23  the trustees of the Board shall not be liable for any damage or
24  suits where damages are sought for negligent or wrongful acts
25  alleged to have been committed in connection with the
26  management of proxy voting activity as provided for under this

 

 

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1  Section.
2  (g) In order to facilitate the State Treasurer's proxy
3  voting activities under this Section and before the State
4  Treasurer begins proxy voting activities, the State Treasurer
5  and the Board shall enter into an intergovernmental agreement
6  concerning costs, proxy voting guidance, reports and other
7  documents, and other issues.
8  (h) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2027.
9  (40 ILCS 5/22A-113.5 new)
10  Sec. 22A-113.5. Fiduciary report. On or before September
11  1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the Board shall publish its
12  guidelines for voting proxy ballots and a detailed report on
13  its website describing how the Board is considering
14  sustainability factors as defined in the Illinois Sustainable
15  Investing Act. The report shall:
16  (1) describe the Board's strategy as it relates to the
17  consideration of sustainable investment factors;
18  (2) outline the process for regular assessment across
19  the total portfolio of potential effects from systemic and
20  regulatory risks and opportunities, including, but not
21  limited to, sustainability factors on the assets of the
22  plan;
23  (3) disclose how each investment manager serving as a
24  fiduciary to the Board integrates sustainability factors
25  into the investment manager's investment decision-making

 

 

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1  process;
2  (4) provide a comprehensive proxy voting report;
3  (5) provide an overview of all corporate engagement
4  and stewardship activities; and
5  (6) include any other information the Board deems
6  necessary.
7  Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8  becoming law.

 

 

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