PARK RIDGE, IL-State Senator Dan Kotowski’s (D-Park Ridge) pension reform legislation has been signed into law by the governor.  It changes General Assembly (GA) members and judges’ pension rules-bringing them into line with the state’s other pension programs. Senate Bill 369 changes the way GA members and judges’ pensions are calculated.  In all of the state’s pension programs, the amount of money pensioners are paid is based upon their final average salaries.  Unlike most state employees, GA members and judges’ average salaries are the amount they are being paid on their final day of work.  For newly elected GA members and judges, this will no longer be the case.  Like general state employees, teachers, and public university employees, their final average salary will be the average of their 48 highest paying consecutive months of employment.

“The current pension system is unfair,” Kotowski said.  “It makes it seem like we value the service of a state senator, representative, or judge more than that of a teacher, professor, or social worker.  We’re all servants of the state, and our pensions should be calculated in a similar way.”

One of the primary goals of the new law is to prevent abuses of the system.

“Under the current pension rules, a former General Assembly member or judge can take a high paying state job, work a few days, quit, and receive a much larger pension,” explained Kotowski.  “The pension will be based on that short period in the highly paid position.  Other state employees must work four years-1,461 days-to receive the same benefit.”

Since many judges and assembly members will receive lower pensions, this initiative is also a cost-saving measure.

“This is a great way to ensure fairness and save taxpayer dollars,” Kotowski said.  “Considering the woeful state of Illinois’ budget, every cent counts.”