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One of the
many important functions of FOP Lodge #7 is to sponsor
and lobby for passage of legislation in Springfield
which will improve pension benefits for active officers
as well as retired officers, widows and disabled
officers. Since 1993 the Lodge #7 has employed Mr. Mark
O'Toole a professional lobbyist as our representative in
Springfield assuring that our State's Legislators are
aware of the FOP's presence and to keep ever vigilant
that pension improvements are achieved for our members.
Each legislative session Mr. O'Toole and our President
Mark Donahue walk the halls of the Capitol personally
lobbying the votes need to pass FOP sponsored
legislation. The FOP is proud that many
legislative bills have been passed since 1993. We
continue to fight for improvements during each
legislative session. Listed below are the current bills
sponsored and supported by the FOP. You the member can
assist the FOP by personally contacting your state
representative and asking him/her for their support of
these bills. To monitor the progress of each of these
bills go to www.ilga.gov
Current Legislation
HR 218 Faqs
Social
Security Fairness Act of 2007
PUBLIC ACT 95-0504
On 28 August, Governor
Blagojevich signed Senate Bill
1380 thus making it Public Act
95-0504. This bill combined
several issues as most bills
that affect Pension Funds
do. Most importantly, 3 of Lodge
7's issues were contained in
this bill. They are:
HB1669/SB1507,
which both called for the
Pension Board to have the
authority to grant a
widow/widower a pension even
though the marriage occurred
less than one year prior to the
time of the member/annuitant's
death;
HB969/SB1197,
which allows for widows to
remarry and not be subject to
termination of their pension
benefits because of the
re-marriage. Resumption of the
pension benefits for those whose
benefits were cancelled need to
re-apply with the Pension Fund;
HB1449/SB1505,
lifts the age limitation for
application for a child's
annuity if that child is so
mentally or physically
handicapped as to be unable to
support himself or herself.
The Lodge is making every
attempt to notify those impacted
by the passage of this
legislation but we need the help
of the membership as well.
Because those widows, who are
now entitled to receive the
above benefits, cannot do so
until they apply, the passage of
time only diminishes the benefit
impact. Please spread the word
so that as many who are eligible
to receive the benefits, do so
as quickly as possible.
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2005
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