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This past year, the Governor signed several new laws related to IMRF.
Public Act 99-682 (HB 6021)
Effective July 29, 2016, this law allows certain retirees who retired before June 1, 2011, without an eligible surviving spouse, and received a refund of their surviving spouse contributions, to re-establish eligibility for a surviving spouse pension if they meet one of the following conditions:
- They entered into a marriage in Illinois on or after February 26, 2014.
- They entered into an Illinois civil union on or after June 11, 2011.
- They entered into a legal relationship in another state or jurisdiction that was not recognized in Illinois until after June 11, 2011, or February 26, 2014.
It also extends the provision making the second spouse eligible for a surviving spouse pension, if the annuitant had an eligible spouse at retirement who predeceased the annuitant, to all current annuitants (instead of just those who retired after March of 1992).
Public Act 99-900 (SB 2701)
Effective August 26, 2016, this law prohibits IMRF participation for new county board members. Additionally, for current county board members to continue to participate in IMRF:
- They must elect to participate;
- The employer they serve must file a resolution no less than 90 days after the board member's election certifying that the position meets the hourly standard; and
- They must submit monthly logs of time worked to the employer.
Public Act 99-745 (SB 2896)
Effective August 5, 2016, this law gives IMRF the authority to assess employers with penalties for return-to-work violations, up to half of the annuity paid to the member during the return-to-work period.
Public Act 99-747 (SB 2972)
Effective January 1, 2017, this law allows members who are immediately eligible to receive a monthly pension of $100 or less
to take a refund of their contributions instead. (Previously, this option was only available to members who would have a monthly pension of $30 or less.)
Public Act 99-580 (SB 2894)
Effective July 15, 2016, this law removes the one-year limitation on the retroactive payment of surviving spouse pensions.
SB 2439 vetoed
In addition, SB 2439 has been vetoed by the Governor. SB 2439 would have allowed the Village of Bedford Park to pass a resolution allowing their police officers and/or firefighters to participate in IMRF SLEP. The governor vetoed the bill, as he did last year, and the General Assembly did not override the veto.
If you think you might be affected by one of these bills, please see
www.imrf.org for more information.
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