HB3392 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 30124 RPS 56548 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB3392

Introduced 2/17/2023, by Rep. Joe C. Sosnowski

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

40 ILCS 5/4-110.1	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-110.1
40 ILCS 5/6-151.1	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-151.1
30 ILCS 805/8.47 new

Amends the Downstate Firefighter and Chicago Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Adds an impairment or condition resulting from a bloodborne pathogen, contagious staph infection, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), lung or respiratory disease or condition, vascular disease or condition, hypertension, cancer resulting in any disability (temporary, permanent, total, or partial), or hearing loss to the list of diseases for which certain firefighters may be eligible for an occupational disease disability pension. Provides that any condition or impairment of health of a firefighter that results directly or indirectly from any bloodborne pathogen, contagious staph infection, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), lung or respiratory disease or condition, heart or vascular disease or condition, hypertension, tuberculosis, cancer resulting in any disability (temporary, permanent, total, or partial), or hearing loss is rebuttably presumed to have resulted from service as a firefighter. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning public employee benefits.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing Sections 4-110.1 and 6-151.1 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/4-110.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-110.1)

Sec. 4-110.1. Occupational disease disability pension.

The General Assembly finds that service in the fire department requires firefighters in times of stress and danger to perform unusual tasks; that firefighters are subject to exposure to extreme heat or extreme cold in certain seasons while performing their duties; that they are required to work in the midst of and are subject to heavy smoke fumes, and carcinogenic, poisonous, toxic or chemical gases from fires; and that these conditions exist and arise out of or in the course of employment.

An active firefighter with 5 or more years of creditable service who is found, pursuant to Section 4-112, unable to perform his or her duties in the fire department by reason of heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, or any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract, any impairment or condition resulting from a bloodborne pathogen, contagious staph infection, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), lung or respiratory disease or condition, vascular disease or condition, hypertension, cancer resulting in any disability (temporary, permanent, total, or partial), or hearing loss resulting from service as a firefighter, is entitled to an occupational disease disability pension during any period of such disability for which he or she has no right to receive salary.

Any active firefighter who has completed 5 or more years of service and is unable to perform his or her duties in the fire department by reason of a disabling cancer, which develops or manifests itself during a period while the firefighter is in the service of the fire department, shall be entitled to receive an occupational disease disability benefit during any period of such disability for which he or she does not have a right to receive salary. In order to receive this occupational disease disability benefit, (i) the type of cancer involved must be a type which may be caused by exposure to heat, radiation or a known carcinogen as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and (ii) the cancer must (and is rebuttably presumed to) arise as a result of service as a firefighter.

Any condition or impairment of health of a firefighter that results directly or indirectly from any bloodborne pathogen, contagious staph infection, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), lung or respiratory disease or condition, heart or vascular disease or condition, hypertension, tuberculosis, cancer resulting in any disability (temporary, permanent, total, or partial), or hearing loss is rebuttably presumed to have resulted from service as a firefighter.

A firefighter who enters the service after August 27, 1971 shall be examined by one or more practicing physicians appointed by the board. If the examination discloses impairment of the heart, lungs or respiratory tract, or the existence of any cancer, the firefighter shall not be entitled to the occupational disease disability pension unless and until a subsequent examination reveals no such impairment or cancer.

The occupational disease disability pension shall be equal to the greater of (1) 65% of the salary attached to the rank held by the firefighter in the fire service at the time of his or her removal from the municipality's fire department payroll or (2) the retirement pension that the firefighter would be eligible to receive if he or she retired (but not including any automatic annual increase in that retirement pension).

The firefighter is also entitled to a child's disability benefit of $20 a month for each natural or legally adopted unmarried child less than age 18 dependent upon the firefighter for support. The total child's disability benefit when added to the occupational disease disability pension shall not exceed 75% of the firefighter's salary at the time of the grant of occupational disease disability pension.

The occupational disease disability pension is payable to the firefighter during the period of the disability. If the disability ceases before the death of the firefighter, the disability pension payable under this Section shall also cease and the firefighter thereafter shall receive such pension benefits as are provided in accordance with other provisions of this Article.

If a firefighter dies while still disabled and receiving a disability pension under this Section, the disability pension shall continue to be paid to the firefighter's survivors in the sequence provided in Section 4-114. A pension previously granted under Section 4-114 to a survivor of a firefighter who died while receiving a disability pension under this Section shall be deemed to be a continuation of the pension provided under this Section and shall be deemed to be in the nature of worker's occupational disease compensation payments. The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act of 1995 are intended to be retroactive and are not limited to persons in service on or after its effective date.

The child's disability benefit shall terminate if the disability ceases while the firefighter is alive or when the child or children attain age 18 or marry, whichever event occurs first, except that benefits payable on account of a child under this Section shall not be reduced or terminated by reason of the child's attainment of age 18 if he or she is then dependent by reason of a physical or mental disability but shall continue to be paid as long as such dependency continues. Individuals over the age of 18 and adjudged as a disabled person pursuant to Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975, except for persons receiving benefits under Article III of the Illinois Public Aid Code, shall be eligible to receive benefits under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-1090, eff. 3-11-05.)

(40 ILCS 5/6-151.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 6-151.1)

Sec. 6-151.1. The General Assembly finds and declares that service in the Fire Department requires that firemen, in times of stress and danger, must perform unusual tasks; that by reason of their occupation, firemen are subject to exposure to great heat and to extreme cold in certain seasons while in performance of their duties; that by reason of their employment firemen are required to work in the midst of and are subject to heavy smoke fumes and carcinogenic, poisonous, toxic or chemical gases from fires; and that in the course of their rescue and paramedic duties firemen are exposed to disabling infectious diseases, including AIDS, hepatitis C, and stroke. The General Assembly further finds and declares that all the aforementioned conditions exist and arise out of or in the course of such employment.

Any active fireman who has completed 7 or more years of service and is unable to perform his duties in the Fire Department by reason of heart disease, tuberculosis, any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract, AIDS, hepatitis C, stroke, or a contagious staph infection, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), disease or condition resulting from any bloodborne pathogen, vascular disease or condition, hypertension, cancer resulting in any disability (temporary, permanent, total, or partial), or hearing loss resulting from his service as a fireman, shall be entitled to receive an occupational disease disability benefit during any period of such disability for which he does not have a right to receive salary.

Any active fireman who has completed 7 or more years of service and is unable to perform his duties in the fire department by reason of a disabling cancer, which develops or manifests itself during a period while the fireman is in the service of the department, shall be entitled to receive an occupational disease disability benefit during any period of such disability for which he does not have a right to receive salary. In order to receive this occupational disease disability benefit, the type of cancer involved must be a type which may be caused by exposure to heat, radiation or a known carcinogen as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Any condition or impairment of health of a firefighter that results directly or indirectly from any bloodborne pathogen, contagious staph infection, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), lung or respiratory disease or condition, heart or vascular disease or condition, hypertension, tuberculosis, cancer resulting in any disability (temporary, permanent, total, or partial), or hearing loss is rebuttably presumed to have resulted from service as a fireman.

Any fireman receiving a retirement annuity shall be entitled to an occupational disease disability benefit under this Section if the fireman (1) has not reached the age of compulsory retirement, (2) has not been receiving a retirement annuity for more than 5 years, and (3) has a condition that would have qualified the fireman for an occupational disease disability benefit under this Section if he or she was an active fireman. A fireman who receives an occupational disease disability benefit in accordance with this paragraph may not receive a retirement annuity during the period in which he or she receives an occupational disease disability benefit. The occupational disease disability benefit shall terminate upon the fireman reaching the age of compulsory retirement.

Any fireman who shall enter the service after the effective date of this amendatory Act shall be examined by one or more practicing physicians appointed by the Board, and if that examination discloses impairment of the heart, lungs, or respiratory tract, or the existence of AIDS, hepatitis C, stroke, cancer, or a contagious staph infection, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), then the fireman shall not be entitled to receive an occupational disease disability benefit unless and until a subsequent examination reveals no such impairment, AIDS, hepatitis C, stroke, cancer, or contagious staph infection, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

The occupational disease disability benefit shall be 65% of the fireman's salary at the time of his removal from the Department payroll. However, beginning January 1, 1994, no occupational disease disability benefit that has been payable under this Section for at least 10 years shall be less than 50% of the current salary attached from time to time to the rank and grade held by the fireman at the time of his removal from the Department payroll, regardless of whether that removal occurred before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993.

Such fireman also shall have a right to receive child's disability benefit of $30 per month on account of each unmarried child who is less than 18 years of age or handicapped, dependent upon the fireman for support, and either the issue of the fireman or legally adopted by him. The total amount of child's disability benefit payable to the fireman, when added to his occupational disease disability benefit, shall not exceed 75% of the amount of salary which he was receiving at the time of the grant of occupational disease disability benefit.

The first payment of occupational disease disability benefit or child's disability benefit shall be made not later than one month after the benefit is granted. Each subsequent payment shall be made not later than one month after the date of the latest payment.

Occupational disease disability benefit shall be payable during the period of the disability until the fireman reaches the age of compulsory retirement. Child's disability benefit shall be paid to such a fireman during the period of disability until such child or children attain age 18 or marry, whichever event occurs first; except that attainment of age 18 by a child who is so physically or mentally handicapped as to be dependent upon the fireman for support, shall not render the child ineligible for child's disability benefit. The fireman thereafter shall receive such annuity or annuities as are provided for him in accordance with other provisions of this Article.

(Source: P.A. 102-91, eff. 7-9-21; 102-1064, eff. 6-10-22.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.47 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.47 new)

Sec. 8.47. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.