By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation closing a pension loophole.
The loophole allowed several Lake County Board members to draw their Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pension while still serving on the county board.
The new law requires any county board member or elected local governmental official to forfeit their salary at the beginning of their next term if they are receiving pension benefits for service as a county board member or elected officer.
“No elected official should be both serving in office while also drawing a retirement check for the work done in that capacity,” said State Sen. Terry Link (D-Indian Creek) who sponsored the bill. “It is a clear violation of the public trust and an integrity issue, as county board members have the ability to pass measures that could increase their own retirement benefits.”
The new law, which passed under Senate Bill 1236, was signed by the governor on Friday.
Copyright 2019 WLS-AM News
