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Among other changes to the classification of lottery workers and
some Chicago Public School employees, House Bill 3765 also would
create a Deferred Retirement Option Plan, separate from a
pension, for police and firefighters who retire but continue in
some capacity with the department to save for retirement.
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, carried the bill
Wednesday. She said it’s about retaining first responders.
“The individual essentially retires, so it eliminates that
pension liability for that individual and they can continue to
opt to work another two to five years,” she said on the House
floor.
If enacted, the measure would be active in January 2026 and
sunset five years later.
“When they cease working for the entity they’re working for, so
they’d be able to get a lump sum and they should work with their
financial advisor where they can roll that over into another
account or whether they take the lump sum and buy a new car or
whatever they want to do with it,” Kifowit said.
State Rep. Marty McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, said taxpayers
will still be on the hook and raised concerns about disability
claims.
“What will disability claims be, what will 58-year-old firemen
dragging my body out of a burning building turn into, so there’s
a lot in this bill that we agree with over here but I think we
have to be realistic on who’s paying, what the liability and
what the cost is,” McLaughlin said.
Despite concerns of unknown local taxpayer costs, the measure
passed unanimously and can now be sent to the Illinois Senate
for further action.
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