Manley Sponsored Bill to Prevent Part-Time Politician Pensions Passes House

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A measure sponsored by state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, that would reduce the number of politicians that can receive a pension passed the House Wednesday and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

“Too many part-time politicians were taking advantage of their position to take home a lifetime pension for just a few hours of service,” Manley said. “For taxpayers, this is simply unacceptable. This bill, a bipartisan effort, creates needed fiscal responsibility and accountability, and was the reason I became a chief co-sponsor of it.”

House Bill 291 mandates that part-time elected officials must work at least 1,000 hours in a year before being able to qualify for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). Locally elected officials that conduct work infrequently would be most impacted.

“We cannot continue to place additional strain on our pension systems and our taxpayers to reward individuals who do not work a reasonable amount of time,” Manley said. “These part-time elected officials should not be focused on perks, but instead on serving the needs of the residents they represent.”

For more information, please contact Manley’s constituent service office at 815-725-2741 or RepManley@gmail.com.