Bill Text: IL HB4544 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a trustee of a downstate police or firefighter pension fund must complete, within the first 2 years (instead of within the first year) after the trustee takes office (instead of after the trustee is elected or appointed), at least 8 hours of training covering fiduciary duties and liabilities and trustee ethics. Requires a trustee to complete an additional 16 hours of continuing trustee education during the 2 years following the date by which the trustee must complete the initial training and every 2 years thereafter. Provides that at least 4 hours of training during each year must be devoted to fiduciary duties and liabilities and trustee ethics. Provides that at least 8 hours of the biennial training required must be in the form of a live lecture or classroom training forum or, if taken online, must meet certain other requirements. Specifies that the balance of biennial trustee training may take the form of participation in other training opportunities incident to the functioning of the pension board, such as participation in board hearings on the award of disability or other benefits or training opportunities associated with other organizations or employment that are applicable to the duties of a pension fund trustee. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HB4544 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HB4544-Introduced.html

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100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2017 and 2018 HB4544 Introduced , by Rep. Kathleen Willis SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
40 ILCS 5/1-109.3
30 ILCS 805/8.42 new
Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a trustee of a downstate police or firefighter pension fund must complete, within the first 2 years (instead of within the first year) after the trustee takes office (instead of after the trustee is elected or appointed), at least 8 hours of training covering fiduciary duties and liabilities and trustee ethics. Requires a trustee to complete an additional 16 hours of continuing trustee education during the 2 years following the date by which the trustee must complete the initial training and every 2 years thereafter. Provides that at least 4 hours of training during each year must be devoted to fiduciary duties and liabilities and trustee ethics. Provides that at least 8 hours of the biennial training required must be in the form of a live lecture or classroom training forum or, if taken online, must meet certain other requirements. Specifies that the balance of biennial trustee training may take the form of participation in other training opportunities incident to the functioning of the pension board, such as participation in board hearings on the award of disability or other benefits or training opportunities associated with other organizations or employment that are applicable to the duties of a pension fund trustee. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
LRB100 16894 RPS 32035 b
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY PENSION IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
A BILL FOR
HB4544 LRB100 16894 RPS 32035 b
AN ACT concerning public employee benefits.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing
Section 1-109.3 as follows:
(40 ILCS 5/1-109.3)
Sec. 1-109.3. Training requirement for pension trustees.
(a) All elected and appointed trustees under Article 3 and
4 of this Code must participate in a mandatory trustee
certification training seminar that consists of at least 32
hours of initial trustee certification at a training facility
that is accredited and affiliated with a State of Illinois
certified college or university. This training must include
without limitation all of the following:
(1) Duties and liabilities of a fiduciary under Article
1 of the Illinois Pension Code.
(2) Adjudication of pension claims.
(3) Basic accounting and actuarial training.
(4) Trustee ethics.
(5) The Illinois Open Meetings Act.
(6) The Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
The training required under this subsection (a) must be
completed within the first 2 years after the year that a

HB4544 - 2 - LRB100 16894 RPS 32035 b
trustee takes office is elected or appointed under an Article 3
or 4 pension fund. At least 8 hours of training during the
first year of training must cover fiduciary duties and
liabilities and trustee ethics. The elected and appointed
trustees of an Article 3 or 4 pension fund who are police
officers (as defined in Section 3-106 of this Code) or
firefighters (as defined in Section 4-106 of this Code) or are
employed by the municipality shall be permitted time away from
their duties to attend such training without reduction of
accrued leave or benefit time. Active or appointed trustees
serving on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
96th General Assembly shall not be required to attend the
training required under this subsection (a).
(b) Upon completion of and in In addition to the initial
trustee certification training required under subsection (a),
all elected and appointed trustees under Article 3 and 4 of
this Code, including trustees serving on the effective date of
this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, shall also
complete at least an additional participate in a minimum of 16
hours of continuing trustee education during (i) the 2 years
following the date by which the training required under
subsection (a) must be completed and (ii) every 2 years
thereafter. At least 4 hours of training during each year must
be devoted to fiduciary duties and liabilities and trustee
ethics. At least 8 hours of the biennial training required
under this subsection (b) must be in the form of a live lecture

HB4544 - 3 - LRB100 16894 RPS 32035 b
or classroom training forum or, if taken in an online training
program, must be in an interactive form with ascertainable
verification of participation and learning by the trustee in
the online training program. The balance of biennial trustee
training may take the form of participation in other training
opportunities incident to the functioning of the pension board,
such as participation in board hearings on the award of
disability or other benefits or training opportunities
associated with other organizations or employment that are
applicable to the duties of a pension fund trustee each year
after the first year that the trustee is elected or appointed.
(c) The training required under this Section shall be paid
for by the pension fund.
(d) Any board member who does not timely complete the
training required under this Section is not eligible to serve
on the board of trustees of an Article 3 or 4 pension fund,
unless the board member completes the missed training within 6
months after the date the member failed to complete the
required training. In the event of a board member's failure to
complete the required training, a successor shall be appointed
or elected, as applicable, for the unexpired term. A successor
who is elected under such circumstances must be elected at a
special election called by the board and conducted in the same
manner as a regular election under Article 3 or 4, as
applicable.
(Source: P.A. 96-429, eff. 8-13-09.)

HB4544 - 4 - LRB100 16894 RPS 32035 b
Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
Section 8.42 as follows:
(30 ILCS 805/8.42 new)
Sec. 8.42. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8
of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of
the 100th General Assembly.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.