Bill Text: IL HJR0059 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Pension System Modernization Task Force to recommend pension benefit changes to modernize the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, the State Universities Retirement System, and the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 26-10)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-27 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Jehan A. Gordon [HJR0059 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HJR0059-Introduced.html

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HJ0059 LRB096 13019 AMC 27199 r
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Governor Quinn has proposed a drastic change in
the benefits that are offered to public employees who are
members of State-funded pension systems; and
WHEREAS, These changes have not been systematically
analyzed for their potential impact on how the State of
Illinois will be able to attract and retain high quality
personnel; and
WHEREAS, The public policy implications of having older
individuals performing jobs in the public safety arena have not
been thoroughly studied; and
WHEREAS, Pension benefits directly impact the ability of
school districts to attract college graduates to the teaching
profession, especially in the critical areas of math and
science; and
WHEREAS, Seventy-eight percent of all public employees in
Illinois do not receive Social Security; and
WHEREAS, The retirement benefits provided by the Teachers'
Retirement System of the State of Illinois, the State
Universities Retirement System, and the State Employees'

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Retirement System of Illinois are the primary source of
retirement security for public employees; and
WHEREAS, The cost for the current benefits being earned
today is lower than what is paid by a typical employer in the
private sector; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has not fulfilled its
obligation to properly fund these systems since their inception
over 70 years ago; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Pension
System Modernization Task Force; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be charged with the
following tasks:
(1) analyze the public policy implications of changing
pension benefits on the State of Illinois' ability to
attract and retain public employees, teachers, and
University professionals; and
(2) analyze the level of the current pension benefit
structure in Illinois as it compares to other states in the
geographical region and to other states that have systems
that are not coordinated with Social Security; and

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(3) analyze which pension benefits in Illinois should
be modernized in order to put Illinois in line with other
states; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of the
following:
(1) two legislative members appointed by the Speaker of
the House;
(2) two legislative members appointed by the President
of the Senate;
(3) two legislative members appointed by the House
Minority Leader;
(4) two legislative members appointed by the Senate
Minority Leader;
(5) two members who are statewide education labor union
representatives;
(6) two members who are statewide labor union
representatives that do not represent an education labor
union;
(7) four members who represent the business community,
including, but not limited to, the Illinois Chamber of
Commerce, the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, the
Illinois Retail Merchants Association, and the National
Federation of Independent Business;
(8) one member appointed by the Governor who shall act
as chair; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the staff of the Commission on Government
Forecasting and Accountability shall be responsible for
staffing the Task Force in conjunction with the Illinois
pension systems actuaries and staff; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold hearings on
pension modernization, no less than one per month, between June
of 2009 and October of 2009; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall recommend pension
benefit changes to modernize these systems; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report its findings to
the General Assembly and the Governor on or before November 1,
2009.