South Central Reporter

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) objected to a bill that would revise the Illinois Pension Code, specifically the state employee article.

While Wilhour thinks that Senate Bill 1056 may have some fair provisions, he suggested being more cautious in amending the state pension code.

“There's a good chance that the things in this bill are OK, but there are better and more transparent ways to vet this stuff piece by piece — especially when we’re making changes to something as big as our pension system,” Wilhour said. “So, for the folks in here that share my concerns about doing legislation in a more transparent and error-free way, I would encourage a 'no' vote on this.”

According to the language of the bill, it “provides that a State policeman, conservation police officer, arson investigator, or Commerce Commission police officer may elect to establish eligible creditable service under the alternative retirement annuity formula.”

It also has a provision that “a State policeman or conservation police officer may elect to convert service credit earned under the Article to eligible creditable service.”

State Sen. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is the chief sponsor of SB 1056. The bill passed both Houses (Senate: 59-0-0; House: 86-27-1).