Bill Text: IL HJR0065 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Engrossed

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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.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 35-8)

Status: (Passed) 2009-05-31 - Adopted Both Houses [HJR0065 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HJR0065-Engrossed.html

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 65
WHEREAS, Governor Quinn and members of the General Assembly
have proposed changes in the benefits that are offered to
public employees who are members of State-funded pension
systems; 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'
Retirement System of Illinois are the primary source of
retirement security for public employees; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a duty to thoroughly
discuss and analyze the effects of any changes made to the
current systems; 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

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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
(3) analyze the level of benefit programs currently
being offered in the private sector of our State; and
(4) analyze the long-term costs of our current systems,
including the expected increase in benefit payments, the
effects of continued underperformance in the funds'
investment portfolio, and the effects of increasing life
expectancies on our State-funded systems; and
(5) analyze which pension benefits in Illinois should
be modernized; 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

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Minority Leader;
(4) two legislative members appointed by the Senate
Minority Leader;
(5) two members appointed by the Governor who are
statewide education labor union representatives;
(6) two members appointed by the Governor who are
statewide labor union representatives that do not
represent an education labor union;
(7) four members appointed by the Governor who
represent statewide business organizations, including, but
not limited to, the organizations representing local
chambers of commerce, manufacturers, retail merchants, and
independent businesses;
(8) one member appointed by the Governor who shall act
as chair; and
(9) two members appointed by the Governor, one each
from a different statewide organization representing the
annuitants; and be it further
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

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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.