NIU Today

The Illinois House Personnel and Pensions Committee passed a pension reform plan put forth by Speaker Michael J. Madigan by a 9-1 vote, clearing the way for the pension reform bill to be called before the full House today. Madigan’s plan calls for employees to pay 2 percent more of salary toward their retirement plans....

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan filed an amendment to a comprehensive pension-reform package passed by the Senate last month that caps the salary on which a pension can be based and limits annual cost-of-living increases. The House Personnel & Pensions Committee is scheduled to consider the legislation at an 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 1, meeting. The...

A downstate judge ruled Tuesday that health care for retired state workers is not constitutionally guaranteed. A long-standing benefit had allowed retirees with 20 or more years of service to retire with full health insurance coverage (for themselves, but not dependents) without paying premiums. A series of lawsuits filed in Sangamon County sought to preserve...

NIU’s Annuitants Association is planning a Saturday, Nov. 17, trip to the Chicago Fine Chocolate Show. The Chicago Fine Chocolate Show, a unique fine chocolate and culinary event open to the general, chocolate-loving public, features fine artisanal chocolate creations from around the world. Held at Navy Pier, the event showcases world-class chocolatiers while presenting the...

State lawmakers will meet in a special one-day session Friday to discuss potentially dramatic changes to the pension systems that serve state employees. Statehouse watchers say that Speaker of the House Mike Madigan has agreed to call HB1447 for a vote. Approved May 31 by the Illinois Senate on the final day of the spring...

The Associated Press is reporting today that Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn “has signed a law that ends free health care for state retirees and requires them all to contribute to the cost of health care, based on their ability to pay.” Rich Miller’s Capitol Fax begins its coverage this way: “We still don’t know how...

Rep. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) introduced HB 4996  to curb the current practice of Illinois’ public universities rehiring annuitants to work while drawing a pension. This bill passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly, and the governor is expected to sign the bill over the summer. Biss, who has been actively involved in various efforts...

A stripped-down pension reform package absent a controversial cost-shifting provision that would have transferred responsibility for payments of normal costs of pension benefits from the state to employers (universities, school districts and community colleges) passed the House Personnel and Pension Committee for consideration by the full House Thursday. Pension reform legislation stalled yesterday due to...

In Springfield … Last week, both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly continued to move bills through committees and through third readings. However, the three big issues remaining are the FY 2013 appropriations, pension stabilization, and Medicaid reform and cuts. Most of the discussions on these three issues have taken place behind closed doors, but...

In Springfield … With only three weeks left before the scheduled May 31 adjournment of the Illinois General Assembly, there are three major issues still unresolved: the Fiscal Year 2013 budget, pension stabilization and Medicaid reform. FY2013 Budget The House Higher Education Appropriations Committee has been meeting frequently over the past several weeks to determine how...

University and other state employees could be on the verge of losing the free health insurance received in retirement, as legislation to end the benefit was approved 31-20 in the state Senate and will go to Gov. Pat Quinn. Under the new plan contained within Senate Bill 1313, retired state employees, legislators, judges and university...

In Springfield … The Illinois Senate Executive Committee voted to approve House Bill 3810, a bill that will eliminate the General Assembly Scholarship Program on Sept. 1, 2012. Senate President John Cullerton, who had picked up sponsorship of this bill, testified that this program was good overall and that it had helped many very deserving...