Relating to prescription drugs for veterans.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Paul Evans

The bill increases Chicago police/fire widow annuities to 66 2/3% of the member’s retirement annuity (or 30% of max salary if higher), expanding long-term pension costs.

In committee upon adjournment.

Summary — HB 2824 (PEN CD — Chicago Police & Fire: widow's annuity)

Note: The provided packet contains mixed material (an Arizona bill on legislative subpoenas and an Illinois bill amending the Illinois Pension Code). This summary focuses on the Illinois legislation titled “PEN CD‑CHI POLICE/FIRE‑WIDOW,” which amends Chicago police and firefighter widow annuities.

Purpose / Intent

The bill increases the statutory widow’s annuity payable under the Chicago Police and Chicago Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. It raises the percentage used to compute many widow’s annuities from 50% to 66 2/3% of the deceased member’s retirement annuity (or of the annuity the member would have been eligible to receive).

Key provisions

Amends 40 ILCS 5/5‑136.1 (Chicago Police) and 40 ILCS 5/6‑141.1 (Chicago Firefighters).

For widows of active members with specified creditable service, the widow’s annuity is the greater of:

30% of the annual maximum salary for a first‑class patrolman/firefighter (at the time of death), or
66 2/3% (previously 50%) of the retirement annuity the member would have been eligible to receive if they had retired the day before death.

For widows where the deceased member was already receiving a retirement annuity at death, the widow’s annuity becomes 66 2/3% (previously 50%) of the deceased member’s retirement annuity.

Existing grandfathering/transition language in the statutory sections (references to retirees and deaths on various dates) remains but the percentage calculation is increased where applicable.

Adds an amendment to the State Mandates Act (30 ILCS 805) making these changes an “exempt mandate,” i.e., “no reimbursement by the State is required” for implementing the mandate.

Who is affected

Primary beneficiaries: surviving spouses (widows) of Chicago police officers and firefighters covered by the cited pension articles.

Pension systems impacted: Chicago Police and Fire pension funds (higher ongoing benefit payments).

Employer/city finances: City of Chicago and associated pension funding entities — increased liabilities for pension systems; the bill declares no state reimbursement is required.

Potentially Illinois taxpayers insofar as municipal pension funding obligations could be affected.

Fiscal and procedural notes

The benefits increase will raise long‑term pension obligations for the affected Chicago pension funds; the bill explicitly exempts state reimbursement (per the added State Mandates Act section).

The text shows typical eligibility thresholds (e.g., minimum creditable service) remain in place; effective date is not specified in the excerpt and would be determined in the final enrolled act.

Legislative document identifiers indicate introduction in the 104th General Assembly (LRB104 11133 RPS 21215 b) and includes standard statutory cross‑references.

Sponsor / Status (from packet)

Introduced (Illinois): Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (introduced 02/06/2025 in the LRB text).

Companion/related: SB 1179 noted as a companion in the packet.

Procedural status and final enactment/effective date are not shown in the Illinois excerpt provided.

If you want, I can:
- Produce a short fiscal estimate of likely pension cost impacts (high‑level),
- Extract the precise eligibility dates and transitional clauses from the full statute text,
- Or prepare a side‑by‑side before/after comparison of the amended statutory subsections.