Illinois Politicians: Liars and Thieves (Pt. 2)

What is House Bill 3411 (Now SB 1)?

For all active and retired Tier I members (service before January 1, 2011), the Cost-of-Living Adjustment would be capped at 3 percent. Each year the percentage increase would be equal to one-half of the consumer price index and calculated from the member’s original pension amount, not from the current pension amount.

All COLAs would apply only to the first $25,000 of a pension. The COLA for annual benefits of $25,000 or more would be $750. Members would not receive a COLA until age 67 or five years after they retire (whichever comes first). This would apply to all retired members already receiving a COLA under the old rules. These members would have their COLA suspended for a period of time, but they would not lose any Cola previously received. (Read about HB 1165 below)

Furthermore, the salary used to determine an active member’s final average salary would be capped at the maximum Social Security wage base ($113,700 for 2013). For a TRS member employed under an individual or union contract, the cap would be set at the member’s maximum salary under the contract at the time the law takes effect, but only if the salary exceeds the Social Security wage base. If a maximum contractual salary is below the Social Security wage base when the bill takes effect, the cap would be the Social Security wage base. (Read about HB 1154 below)

In addition, active member contributions would increase from 9.4 percent to 10.4 percent beginning in the 2013-2014 school year and to 11.4 percent beginning in the 2014-2015 school year.

Finally, the retirement age would be set on a sliding scale based on the member’s age and the time the law would take effect:

--for those 45 and older: Current rules apply. Retire between the ages of 55 and 59 with at least 20 years of service and receive a reduced benefit, or at 60 or more and receive a full benefit
--for those 40 to 44 years old: Retire at 56 to 60 with at least 20 years of service for a reduced benefit and at 61 or more for full benefits.
--for those 35 to 39 years old: Retire at 58 to 62 with at least 20 years of service for a reduced benefit and at 63 or more for full benefits.
--for those 34 and younger: Retire at 60 to 64 with at least 20 years of service for a reduced benefit and at 65 or more for full benefits. (Read about HB 1166 below)

What is House Bill 1165, and who voted for it?

House Bill 1165 affects all active and retired Tier I members (service before January 1, 2011). The annual COLA would continue to be 3 percent annually, calculated from a member’s current pension. All future COLAs after the bill takes effect would apply only to the first $25,000 of a pension. Effectively, with a $25,000 cap, the Tier I COLA is $750 every year if the member’s salary exceeds $25,000.  For a member with a salary of $25,000 or less, the 3 percent COLA increase would apply to the entire pension – until the total pension exceeds $25,000.

HB 1165 passed March 21, 2013
66 YEAS 50 NAYS 0 PRESENT

Y Acevedo, Y Durkin, N Lang, Y Roth, Y Arroyo, N Evans, Y Leitch, Y Sacia, N Beiser, Y Farnham, N Lilly, Y Sandack, Y Bellock, Y Feigenholtz, Y Manley, N Scherer, Y Berrios, N Fine, Y Martwick, Y Schmitz, N Bost, Y Flowers, N Mautino, Y Senger, Y Bradley, N Ford, N Mayfield, Y Sente, N Brady, N Fortner, Y McAsey, N Sims, N Brauer, Y Franks, N McAuliffe, N Smiddy, N Brown, Y Gabel, Y McSweeney, N Smith, Y Burke Daniel, NV Golar, N Meier, N Sommer, Y Burke Kelly, Y Gordon-Booth, Y Mell, Y Sosnowski, N Cabello, Y Halbrook, N Mitchell Bill, Y Soto, N Cassidy, N Hammond, Y Mitchell Christian, Y Sullivan, N Cavaletto, N Harms, N Moffitt, Y Tabares, E Chapa LaVia, Y Harris David, Y Morrison, N Thapedi, Y Cloonen, Y Harris Greg, Y Moylan, Y Tracy, Y Conroy, Y Hatcher, Y Mussman, N Tryon, N Costello, N Hays, Y Nekritz, N Turner, Y Crespo, Y Hernandez, Y Osmond, N Unes, Y Cross, N Hoffman, N Phelps, N Verschoore, Y Currie, Y Hurley, Y Pihos, Y Walsh, Y D'Amico, Y Ives, N Poe, N Welch, N Davidsmeyer, N Jackson, Y Pritchard, Y Wheeler, Y Davis Monique, N Jakobsson, N Reboletti, N Williams, Y Davis William, Y Jefferson, N Reis, Y Willis, N DeLuca, Y Jones, N Riley, Y Yingling, Y Demmer, Y Kay, N Rita, Y Zalewski, N Drury, Y Kifowit, N Rosenthal, Y Madigan, N Dunkin, Y Kosel.
E - Denotes Excused Absence

What is House Bill 1154, and who voted for it?

This bill limits/freezes pensionable salary of TRS employees to the greater of the Social Security base for the previous year (currently $113,700) or the annual salary of the member in the previous year. It does not apply to salaries determined by contracts or collective bargaining agreements currently in place on the effective date of the bill.

HB 1154 passed March 14, 2013
101 YEAS 15 NAYS 0 PRESENT

Y Acevedo, Y Durkin, Y Lang, Y Roth, Y Arroyo, Y Evans, Y Leitch, Y Sacia, Y Beiser, Y Farnham, Y Lilly, Y Sandack, Y Bellock, Y Feigenholtz, Y Manley, N Scherer, Y Berrios, Y Fine, Y Martwick, Y Schmitz, N Bost, Y Flowers, Y Mautino, Y Senger, Y Bradley, Y Ford, Y Mayfield, Y Sente, N Brady, Y Fortner, Y McAsey, Y Sims, N Brauer, Y Franks, Y McAuliffe, N Smiddy, N Brown, Y Gabel, Y McSweeney, Y Smith, Y Burke Daniel, Y Golar, Y Meier, Y Sommer, Y Burke Kelly, Y Gordon-Booth, Y Mell, E Sosnowski, Y Cabello, Y Halbrook, N Mitchell Bill, Y Soto, Y Cassidy, N Hammond, Y Mitchell Christian, Y Sullivan, Y Cavaletto, Y Harms, N Moffitt, E Tabares, Y Chapa LaVia, Y Harris David, Y Morrison, Y Thapedi, Y Cloonen, Y Harris Greg, Y Moylan, Y Tracy, Y Conroy, Y Hatcher, Y Mussman, Y Tryon, N Costello, N Hays, Y Nekritz, Y Turner, Y Crespo, Y Hernandez, Y Osmond, Y Unes, Y Cross, Y Hoffman, N Phelps, Y Verschoore, Y Currie, Y Hurley, Y Pihos, Y Walsh, Y D'Amico, Y Ives, N Poe, Y Welch, Y Davidsmeyer, Y Jackson, Y Pritchard, Y Wheeler, Y Davis Monique, N Jakobsson, Y Reboletti, Y Williams, Y Davis William, Y Jefferson, Y Reis, Y Willis, Y DeLuca, Y Jones, Y Riley, Y Yingling, Y Demmer, Y Kay, Y Rita, Y Zalewski, Y Drury, Y Kifowit, N Rosenthal, Y Madigan.
E - Denotes Excused Absence

What is House Bill 1166, and who voted for it?

The retirement age is set on a sliding scale based on the member’s age and the time the law takes effect:

--for those 45 and older: Current rules apply. Retire between the ages of 55 and 59 with at least 20 years of service and receive a reduced benefit, or at 60 or more and receive a full benefit.

--for those 40 to 44 years old: Retire at 56 to 60 with at least 20 years of service for a reduced benefit and at 61 for full benefits.
--for those 35 to 39 years old: Retire at 58 to 62 with at least 20 years of service for a reduced benefit and at 63 for full benefits.
--for those 34 and younger: Retire at 60 to 64 with at least 20 years of service for a reduced benefit and at 65 for full benefits.

HB 1166 passed March 14, 2013
76 YEAS 41 NAYS 0 PRESENT

Y Acevedo, Y Durkin, N Lang, Y Roth, Y Arroyo, Y Evans, Y Leitch, Y Sacia, N Beiser, Y Farnham, Y Lilly, Y Sandack, Y Bellock, Y Feigenholtz, Y Manley, N Scherer, Y Berrios, Y Fine, Y Martwick, Y Schmitz, N Bost, N Flowers, N Mautino, Y Senger, Y Bradley, Y Ford, N Mayfield, Y Sente, N Brady, N Fortner, Y McAsey, Y Sims, N Brauer, Y Franks, N McAuliffe, N Smiddy, N Brown, Y Gabel, Y McSweeney, N Smith, Y Burke Daniel, N Golar, N Meier, Y Sommer, Y Burke Kelly, Y Gordon-Booth, Y Mell, E Sosnowski, N Cabello, Y Halbrook, N Mitchell Bill, Y Soto, N Cassidy, N Hammond, Y Mitchell Christian, Y Sullivan, N Cavaletto, N Harms, N Moffitt, Y Tabares, N Chapa LaVia, Y Harris David, Y Morrison, N Thapedi, Y Cloonen, Y Harris Greg, Y Moylan, Y Tracy, Y Conroy, Y Hatcher, Y Mussman, N Tryon, N Costello, N Hays, Y Nekritz, Y Turner, Y Crespo, Y Hernandez, Y Osmond, Y Unes, Y Cross, Y Hoffman, N Phelps, N Verschoore, Y Currie, Y Hurley, N Pihos, N Walsh, Y D'Amico, Y Ives, N Poe, N Welch, N Davidsmeyer, Y Jackson, N Pritchard, Y Wheeler, Y Davis Monique, N Jakobsson, N Reboletti, Y Williams, Y Davis William, Y Jefferson, N Reis, Y Willis, N DeLuca, Y Jones, Y Riley, Y Yingling, Y Demmer, Y Kay, Y Rita, Y Zalewski, Y Drury, Y Kifowit, N Rosenthal, Y Madigan, Y Dunkin, Y Kosel.
E - Denotes Excused Absence


Note these 23 senators voted “Yes” on Senate Bill 35 (it didn’t pass). Senate Bill 35 mirrored House Bill 3411 (Senate Bill 1). These senators will probably vote “Yes” on Senate Bill 1, if it passes in the House.

John Cullerton, Pamela Althoff, Daniel Biss, William Brady, Michael Connelly, Bill Cunningham, Kirk Dillard, Dan Duffy, Don Harmon, Napoleon Harris, Michael Hastings, Mike Jacobs, Darin LaHood, Steven Landek, Karen McConnaughay, Matt Murphy, Michael Noland, Jim Oberweis, Christine Radogno, Sue Rezin, Heather Steans, Dave Syverson, Patricia Van Pelt (and Steve Stadelman who originally voted "no" on SB 35). Updated May 31: boldfaced names indicate a "yes" vote for SB 1 on May 30.

For more information, review:
Liars and Thieves (Pt. 1)

House Sponsors for HB 3411:
Tom Cross - Elaine Nekritz - David Harris - Sara Feigenholtz - Darlene J. Senger, Michael J. Zalewski, Carol A. Sente, Robyn Gabel, William Davis, Greg Harris, Luis Arroyo, Elizabeth Hernandez, Kelly Burke, Deborah Mell, David McSweeney, Timothy L. Schmitz, Ed Sullivan, Jr., Ron Sandack, Sandra M. Pihos, Kay Hatcher, Joe Sosnowski, Thomas Morrison, Barbara Wheeler, JoAnn D. Osmond, Patricia R. Bellock, Jim Durkin, Renée Kosel, Jil Tracy, Pam Roth, David R. Leitch, Jim Sacia and Kenneth Dunkin

98^th Illinois General Assembly Website