September 4, 2018
Welcome to Legislative Update, a periodic newsletter that keeps you
informed about Illinois pension legislation that affects IMRF.
 IMRF Legislative Agenda becomes law
In August, Gov. Rauner signed into law the two proposals that IMRF advanced in its 2018 Legislative Agenda:

Public Act 100-1097 (formerly SB 3119)
This law prohibits IMRF participation by former police chiefs who meet all of the following criteria:
  • Participated as a police chief in an Article 3 police pension fund in a city, village, or town.
  • Take a new job working with the same municipality for the police department or in an advisory capacity.
  • Have no IMRF service credit prior to August 26, 2018. 
IMRF will send additional information to employers who may be affected by this bill.
 
Public Act 100-0935 (formerly SB 2884)
This law allows IMRF to offer electronic voting options for its Employee and Annuitant Trustee elections. IMRF plans to postpone implementing an electronic voting system until after 2021, once we've completed an upgrade of our database. Any system we introduce will continue to allow members and annuitants to vote via paper ballot if they prefer.
Who is affected by IMRF-related legislation?
Various groups have a stake in legislative changes that affect IMRF, like the legislation recently signed by the governor.
   
When legislation is introduced that could affect IMRF and its operations, it's easy to focus on the impact the bill will have on just one stakeholder group, such as member associations or employer groups. However, most pieces of legislation affect different groups in different ways.
 
Members and their associated interest groups are more likely to focus on the effect that legislation has on their benefits, either positively or negatively. Employers (and, by extension, taxpayers) will look more at the cost of the legislation and how it will impact employer rates. Overlaying both of these groups are legislators, who represent all of their constituents, which includes each of these groups.
 
All of these competing interests must be taken in to account when legislation is introduced, and each has an effect on whether a bill is eventually signed into law.
IMRF
2211 York Rd., Ste. 500
Oak Brook, IL 60523
1-800-ASK-IMRF (275-4673)
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