Amends the Budget Stabilization Act. Makes changes concerning transfers from the General Revenue Fund to the Pension Stabilization Fund. Amends the General Assembly, State Employees, State Universities, Downstate Teachers, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires each State-funded retirement system that does not already have a self-managed plan to establish and maintain one. Authorizes participants to irrevocably elect to participate in such a plan. Provides that, for the purpose of calculating traditional benefit package benefits and contributions, the annual salary of a participant may not, except under certain circumstances, exceed certain limits. Requires participation in the self-managed plan to the extent that a participant's salary exceeds the salary cap. Revises the schedule of contributions for participants. Shifts a portion of the employer contributions for downstate teachers and university employees from the State to the actual employer. Authorizes the boards of trustees of each of these retirement systems to triennially recalculate the normal cost of benefit plans that they offer. Defines "traditional benefit package" and "self-managed plan". Changes the formula for calculating the minimum required State contribution to these systems. Provides that the State is contractually obligated to pay the annual required State contribution to these retirement systems. Contains provisions requiring these retirement systems to bring a mandamus action to compel payment of the required State contribution. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Election Code. Provides that objectors' petitions shall be provided to the public in electronic form, made available online by the principal office or the permanent branch office of the State Board of Elections, or by the office of the election authority or local election official with whom the petitions are filed. Effective immediately.
Amends the Budget Stabilization Act. Makes changes concerning transfers from the General Revenue Fund to the Pension Stabilization Fund. Amends the State Universities, Downstate Teacher, and Chicago Teacher Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Consolidates those systems into a single retirement system under Article 15 of the Code, to be known as the Illinois Teachers' Retirement Fund. Creates a new Board for the Fund. Imposes limits on pensionable salary, and requires participation in the self-managed plan to the extent that a participant's salary exceeds the salary cap. Changes participant contributions. Makes changes relating to State and employer funding. Shifts responsibility for a portion of the required State contribution to the actual employer and provides for the State to make certain payments to the actual employer. Authorizes actions to enforce payments by employers. Changes the formula for calculating the minimum required State contribution to these systems. Provides that the State is contractually obligated to pay the annual required State contribution to these retirement systems. Contains provisions requiring the retirement system to bring a mandamus action to compel payment of a required State contribution. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to Illinois State University for its FY16 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2015.
Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois (Department of Transportation Law). Provides that whenever the Department of Transportation has deemed a vehicle has exhausted its useful life (rather than merely deemed it shall be replaced), certain notification procedures are required. Provides that the Department shall make the vehicle available for purchase by the public, including units of local government, through an auction (rather than a sealed bid sale). Provides for the use of proceeds from the sale of Department vehicles. Defines "units of local government".
Creates the Pension Buyout Act. Authorizes the Department of Central Management Services to enter into contracts with approved vendors to provide pension buyout payments to eligible retirees in the General Assembly, State Employee, State Universities, and Judges Retirement Systems. Requires the Illinois Finance Authority to issue bonds if the amount appropriated to implement the pension buyout option is less than the amount necessary for the Department to pay the approved vendor the amount required under a contract between the Department and the approved vendor for any fiscal year. Provides that the contract entered into by the Department shall be subject to the applicable requirements of the Illinois Procurement Code. Amends the General Assembly, State Employee, State Universities, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an eligible retiree may relinquish his or her right to receive any benefits from the system in exchange for a lump sum payment made by an approved vendor that is equal to the present value of the retirement annuity. Provides that a person who participates in the pension buyout option shall be entitled to any benefits under the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 that he or she would have otherwise been entitled to. Contains provisions concerning the form of the contract; rulemaking; notice to the system; certification to the Department of the amount of lump sum payments made; and qualified plan status. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Illinois Procurement Code, and the Illinois Finance Authority Act to make related changes. Effective July 1, 2017.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that the Illinois Supreme Court or any circuit court of this State may adopt rules permitting the use of video conferencing equipment in any hearing concerning the administration of psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy subject to the following conditions: (1) if the parties, including the respondent, and their attorneys, including the State's Attorney, are at a mental health facility, or some other location to which the respondent may be safely and conveniently transported, and the judge and any court personnel are in another location; or (2) if the respondent and his or her attorney are at a mental health facility or some other location to which the respondent may be safely and conveniently transported, and all of the other participants including the judge are in another location, if, and only if, agreed to by the respondent and the respondent's attorney. Provides that in a hearing concerning the administration of psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy, any court may permit any witness, including a psychiatrist, to testify by video conferencing equipment from any location in the absence of a court rule specifically prohibiting that testimony.
Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Metropolitan Transit and Road Improvement Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that, beginning with fiscal year 2016 and thereafter, Road Fund moneys may not be appropriated to certain executive agencies. Prohibits certain transfers from the Road Fund or the State Construction Account Fund. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on July 1, 2015, motor fuel and gasohol must be taxed under the Acts at the rate of 1.25% (now, 6.25%). Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Imposes an additional tax of $0.150 per gallon on motor fuel sold in the State. Provides that this additional tax must be adjusted each fiscal year to account for inflation. Provides that the proceeds of this additional tax must be deposited into the Metropolitan Transit and Road Improvement Fund and sets forth certain requirements regarding distributions from that Fund. Effective July 1, 2015.
Amends the School Code. Provides that as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2016-2017 school year or a subsequent school year must successfully complete 4 years of language arts aligned with the content of the Illinois Learning Standards for English Language Arts (rather than just 4 years of language arts). Requires students to complete a course in English language arts during their senior year. Requires 3 years of mathematics that align with the content of the Illinois Learning Standards for Mathematics (rather than 3 years of mathematics, one of which must be Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science course). Provides that all students must complete the required 3 years of mathematics while enrolled in high school and shall complete a mathematics course during their final year of high school. Repeals a Section concerning course credit for a high school diploma.
Amends the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2011. Makes changes to the requirements of redistricting. Creates new violations under the Act and remedies for those violations. Repeals current provisions relating to redistricting.