Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1421 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1421 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-20740 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-31040 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706 Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an ordinary disability benefit shall be allowed only if the employee is examined, at least annually, by a licensed health care professional appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund. In the definition of "salary", provides that, for a member on a disability benefit, salary is the salary on which the disability benefit is based. Provides that the Board has the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses to testify before the Board and to compel the production of documents and records upon any matter concerning the Fund, including in conjunction with specified matters. Sets forth provisions concerning fees of witnesses for attendance and travel and compliance with a subpoena. LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1421 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-20740 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-31040 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706 40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-207 40 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-310 40 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706 Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an ordinary disability benefit shall be allowed only if the employee is examined, at least annually, by a licensed health care professional appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund. In the definition of "salary", provides that, for a member on a disability benefit, salary is the salary on which the disability benefit is based. Provides that the Board has the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses to testify before the Board and to compel the production of documents and records upon any matter concerning the Fund, including in conjunction with specified matters. Sets forth provisions concerning fees of witnesses for attendance and travel and compliance with a subpoena. LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1421 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-20740 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-31040 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706 40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-207 40 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-310 40 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706
4	4	40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-207
5	5	40 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-310
6	6	40 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706
7	7	Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an ordinary disability benefit shall be allowed only if the employee is examined, at least annually, by a licensed health care professional appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund. In the definition of "salary", provides that, for a member on a disability benefit, salary is the salary on which the disability benefit is based. Provides that the Board has the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses to testify before the Board and to compel the production of documents and records upon any matter concerning the Fund, including in conjunction with specified matters. Sets forth provisions concerning fees of witnesses for attendance and travel and compliance with a subpoena.
8	8	LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
9	9	LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
10	10	A BILL FOR
11	11	SB1421LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
12	12	SB1421 LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
13	13	1 AN ACT concerning public employee benefits.
14	14	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
15	15	3 represented in the General Assembly:
16	16	4 Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by
17	17	5 changing Sections 13-207, 13-310, and 13-706 as follows:
18	18	6 (40 ILCS 5/13-207) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-207)
19	19	7 Sec. 13-207. "Salary": The salary paid to an employee for
20	20	8 service to the District or to the Board, including salary paid
21	21	9 for vacation and sick leave and any amounts deferred under a
22	22	10 deferred compensation plan established under this Code, but
23	23	11 excluding (1) payment for unused vacation or sick leave, (2)
24	24	12 overtime pay, (3) termination pay, and (4) any compensation in
25	25	13 the form of benefits other than the salary. Salary for a member
26	26	14 on a disability benefit is the salary on which the disability
27	27	15 benefit is based.
28	28	16 (Source: P.A. 90-12, eff. 6-13-97.)
29	29	17 (40 ILCS 5/13-310) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-310)
30	30	18 Sec. 13-310. Ordinary disability benefit.
31	31	19 (a) Any employee who becomes disabled as the result of any
32	32	20 cause other than injury or illness incurred in the performance
33	33	21 of duty for the employer or any other employer, or while
34	34	22 engaged in self-employment activities, shall be entitled to an
35	35
36	36
37	37
38	38	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1421 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
39	39	40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-20740 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-31040 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706 40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-207 40 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-310 40 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706
40	40	40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-207
41	41	40 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-310
42	42	40 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706
43	43	Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an ordinary disability benefit shall be allowed only if the employee is examined, at least annually, by a licensed health care professional appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund. In the definition of "salary", provides that, for a member on a disability benefit, salary is the salary on which the disability benefit is based. Provides that the Board has the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses to testify before the Board and to compel the production of documents and records upon any matter concerning the Fund, including in conjunction with specified matters. Sets forth provisions concerning fees of witnesses for attendance and travel and compliance with a subpoena.
44	44	LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
45	45	LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
46	46	A BILL FOR
47	47
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	40 ILCS 5/13-207 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-207
53	53	40 ILCS 5/13-310 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-310
54	54	40 ILCS 5/13-706 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706
55	55
56	56
57	57
58	58	LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
59	59
60	60
61	61
62	62
63	63
64	64
65	65
66	66
67	67
68	68	SB1421 LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
69	69
70	70
71	71	SB1421- 2 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 2 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
72	72	SB1421 - 2 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
73	73	1 ordinary disability benefit. The eligible period for this
74	74	2 benefit shall be 25% of the employee's total actual service
75	75	3 prior to the date of disability with a cumulative maximum
76	76	4 period of 5 years.
77	77	5 (b) The benefit shall be allowed only if the employee
78	78	6 files an application in writing with the Board that includes ,
79	79	7 and a medical report is submitted by at least one licensed
80	80	8 health care professional and the employee is examined, at
81	81	9 least annually, by a licensed health care professional
82	82	10 appointed by the Board as part of the employee's application.
83	83	11 The benefit is not payable for any disability which begins
84	84	12 during any period of unpaid leave of absence. No benefit shall
85	85	13 be allowed for any period of disability prior to 30 days before
86	86	14 application is made, unless the Board finds good cause for the
87	87	15 delay in filing the application. The benefit shall not be paid
88	88	16 during any period for which the employee receives or is
89	89	17 entitled to receive any part of salary.
90	90	18 The benefit is not payable for any disability which begins
91	91	19 during any period of absence from duty other than allowable
92	92	20 vacation time in any calendar year. An employee whose
93	93	21 disability begins during any such ineligible period of absence
94	94	22 from service may not receive benefits until the employee
95	95	23 recovers from the disability and is in service for at least 15
96	96	24 consecutive working days after such recovery.
97	97	25 In the case of an employee who first enters service on or
98	98	26 after June 13, 1997, an ordinary disability benefit is not
99	99
100	100
101	101
102	102
103	103
104	104	SB1421 - 2 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
105	105
106	106
107	107	SB1421- 3 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 3 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
108	108	SB1421 - 3 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
109	109	1 payable for the first 3 days of disability that would
110	110	2 otherwise be payable under this Section if the disability does
111	111	3 not continue for at least 11 additional days.
112	112	4 Beginning on August 18, 2005 (the effective date of Public
113	113	5 Act 94-621) this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly,
114	114	6 an employee who first entered service on or after June 13, 1997
115	115	7 is also eligible for ordinary disability benefits on the 31st
116	116	8 day after the last day worked, provided all sick leave is
117	117	9 exhausted.
118	118	10 (c) The benefit shall be 50% of the employee's salary at
119	119	11 the date of disability, and shall terminate when the earliest
120	120	12 of the following occurs:
121	121	13 (1) The employee returns to work or receives a
122	122	14 retirement annuity paid wholly or in part under this
123	123	15 Article;
124	124	16 (2) The disability ceases;
125	125	17 (3) The employee willfully and continuously refuses to
126	126	18 follow medical advice and treatment to enable the employee
127	127	19 to return to work. However, this provision does not apply
128	128	20 to an employee who relies in good faith on treatment by
129	129	21 prayer through spiritual means alone in accordance with
130	130	22 the tenets and practice of a recognized church or
131	131	23 religious denomination, by a duly accredited practitioner
132	132	24 thereof;
133	133	25 (4) The employee (i) refuses to submit to a reasonable
134	134	26 physical examination within 30 days of application by a
135	135
136	136
137	137
138	138
139	139
140	140	SB1421 - 3 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
141	141
142	142
143	143	SB1421- 4 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 4 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
144	144	SB1421 - 4 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
145	145	1 licensed health care professional appointed by the Board,
146	146	2 (ii) in the case of chronic alcoholism, the employee
147	147	3 refuses to join a rehabilitation program licensed by the
148	148	4 Department of Public Health of the State of Illinois and
149	149	5 certified by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of
150	150	6 Hospitals, (iii) fails or refuses to consent to and sign
151	151	7 an authorization allowing the Board to receive copies of
152	152	8 or to examine the employee's medical and hospital records,
153	153	9 or (iv) fails or refuses to provide complete information
154	154	10 regarding any other employment for compensation he or she
155	155	11 has received since becoming disabled; or
156	156	12 (5) The eligibility eligible period for this benefit
157	157	13 has been exhausted.
158	158	14 The first payment of the benefit shall be made not later
159	159	15 than one month after the same has been granted, and subsequent
160	160	16 payments shall be made at least monthly.
161	161	17 (Source: P.A. 102-210, eff. 7-30-21; 103-523, eff. 1-1-24;
162	162	18 revised 7-17-24.)
163	163	19 (40 ILCS 5/13-706) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-706)
164	164	20 Sec. 13-706. Board powers and duties. The Board shall have
165	165	21 the powers and duties set forth in this Section, in addition to
166	166	22 such other powers and duties as may be provided in this Article
167	167	23 and in this Code:
168	168	24 (a) To supervise collections. To see that all amounts
169	169	25 specified in this Article to be applied to the Fund, from
170	170
171	171
172	172
173	173
174	174
175	175	SB1421 - 4 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
176	176
177	177
178	178	SB1421- 5 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 5 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
179	179	SB1421 - 5 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
180	180	1 any source, are collected and applied.
181	181	2 (b) To notify of deductions. To notify the Clerk of
182	182	3 the Water Reclamation District of the deductions to be
183	183	4 made from the salaries of employees.
184	184	5 (c) To accept gifts. To accept by gift, grant, bequest
185	185	6 or otherwise any money or property of any kind and use the
186	186	7 same for the purposes of the Fund.
187	187	8 (d) To invest the reserves. To invest the reserves of
188	188	9 the Fund in accordance with the provisions set forth in
189	189	10 Section 1-109, 1-109.1, 1-109.2, 1-110, 1-111, 1-114, and
190	190	11 1-115 of this Code. Investments made in accordance with
191	191	12 Section 1-113 of Article 1 of this Code shall be deemed
192	192	13 prudent. The Board is also authorized to transfer
193	193	14 securities to the Illinois State Board of Investment for
194	194	15 the purpose of participation in any commingled investment
195	195	16 fund as provided in Article 22A of this Code.
196	196	17 (e) To authorize payments. To consider and pass upon
197	197	18 all applications for annuities and benefits; to authorize
198	198	19 or suspend the payment of any annuity or benefit; to
199	199	20 inquire into the validity and legality of any grant of
200	200	21 annuity or benefit paid from or payable out of the Fund; to
201	201	22 increase, reduce, or suspend any such annuity or benefit
202	202	23 whenever the annuity or benefit, or any part thereof, was
203	203	24 secured or granted, or the amount thereof fixed, as the
204	204	25 result of misrepresentation, fraud, or error. No such
205	205	26 annuity or benefit shall be permanently reduced or
206	206
207	207
208	208
209	209
210	210
211	211	SB1421 - 5 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
212	212
213	213
214	214	SB1421- 6 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 6 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
215	215	SB1421 - 6 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
216	216	1 suspended until the affected annuitant or beneficiary is
217	217	2 first notified of the proposed action and given an
218	218	3 opportunity to be heard. No trustee of the Board shall
219	219	4 vote upon that trustee's own personal claim for annuity,
220	220	5 benefit or refund, or participate in the deliberations of
221	221	6 the Board as to the validity of any such claim. The Board
222	222	7 shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in all matters
223	223	8 of claims for annuities, benefits and refunds.
224	224	9 (f) To submit an annual report. To submit a report in
225	225	10 July of each year to the Board of Commissioners of the
226	226	11 Water Reclamation District as of the close of business on
227	227	12 December 31st of the preceding year. The report shall
228	228	13 include the following:
229	229	14 (1) A balance sheet, showing the financial and
230	230	15 actuarial condition of the Fund as of the end of the
231	231	16 calendar year;
232	232	17 (2) A statement of receipts and disbursements
233	233	18 during such year;
234	234	19 (3) A statement showing changes in the asset,
235	235	20 liability, reserve and surplus accounts during such
236	236	21 year;
237	237	22 (4) A detailed statement of investments as of the
238	238	23 end of the year; and
239	239	24 (5) Any additional information as is deemed
240	240	25 necessary for proper interpretation of the condition
241	241	26 of the Fund.
242	242
243	243
244	244
245	245
246	246
247	247	SB1421 - 6 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
248	248
249	249
250	250	SB1421- 7 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 7 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
251	251	SB1421 - 7 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
252	252	1 (g) To subpoena witnesses and compel the production of
253	253	2 records. To issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of
254	254	3 witnesses to testify before the Board and to compel the
255	255	4 production of documents and records upon any matter
256	256	5 concerning the Fund, including, but not limited to, in
257	257	6 conjunction with:
258	258	7 (1) a disability claim;
259	259	8 (2) an administrative review proceeding;
260	260	9 (3) an attempt to obtain information to assist in
261	261	10 the collection of sums due to the Fund;
262	262	11 (4) obtaining any and all personal identifying
263	263	12 information necessary for the administration of
264	264	13 benefits;
265	265	14 (5) the determination of the death of a benefit
266	266	15 recipient or a potential benefit recipient; or
267	267	16 (6) a felony forfeiture investigation.
268	268	17 The fees of witnesses for attendance and travel shall be
269	269	18 the same as the fees of witnesses before the circuit courts of
270	270	19 this State and shall be paid by the party seeking the subpoena.
271	271	20 The Board may apply to any circuit court in the State for an
272	272	21 order requiring compliance with a subpoena issued under this
273	273	22 Section. Subpoenas issued under this Section shall be subject
274	274	23 to the applicable provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure.
275	275	24 The President or other members of the Board may administer
276	276	25 oaths to witnesses. To compel witnesses to attend and testify
277	277	26 before it upon any matter concerning the Fund and allow
278	278
279	279
280	280
281	281
282	282
283	283	SB1421 - 7 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
284	284
285	285
286	286	SB1421- 8 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 8 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
287	287	SB1421 - 8 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
288	288	1 witness fees not in excess of $6 for attendance upon any one
289	289	2 day. The President and other members of the Board may
290	290	3 administer oaths to witnesses.
291	291	4 (h) To appoint employees and consultants. To appoint
292	292	5 such actuarial, medical, legal, investigational, clerical
293	293	6 or financial employees and consultants as are necessary,
294	294	7 and fix their compensation.
295	295	8 (i) To make rules. To make rules and regulations
296	296	9 necessary for the administration of the affairs of the
297	297	10 Fund.
298	298	11 (j) To waive guardianship. To waive the requirement of
299	299	12 legal guardianship of a person under legal disability or
300	300	13 any minor unmarried beneficiary of the Fund for a
301	301	14 representative managing such person or beneficiary's
302	302	15 affairs, whenever the Board deems such waiver to be in the
303	303	16 best interest of the person or beneficiary.
304	304	17 (k) To collect amounts due. To collect any amounts due
305	305	18 to the Fund from any participant or beneficiary prior to
306	306	19 payment of any annuity, benefit or refund.
307	307	20 (l) To invoke rule of offset. To offset against any
308	308	21 amount payable to an employee or to any other person such
309	309	22 sums as may be due to the Fund or may have been paid by the
310	310	23 Fund due to misrepresentation, fraud or error.
311	311	24 (m) To assess and collect interest on amounts due to
312	312	25 the Fund using the annual rate as shall from time to time
313	313	26 be determined by the Board, compounded annually from the
314	314
315	315
316	316
317	317
318	318
319	319	SB1421 - 8 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
320	320
321	321
322	322	SB1421- 9 -LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b SB1421 - 9 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
323	323	SB1421 - 9 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b
324	324
325	325
326	326
327	327
328	328
329	329	SB1421 - 9 - LRB104 07674 RPS 17718 b