Illinois Public Pension Amendment

Last updated

The Illinois Public Pension Amendment was a proposed amendment to the Illinois state constitution. On November 6, 2012, Illinois voters rejected it in a statewide referendum. [1]

Contents

A legislatively referred constitutional amendment, if approved, it would have amended the Constitution of Illinois. [1] The measure would have made it so that a three-fifths approval would be required by the General Assembly, city councils, and school districts that wish to increase the pension benefits of their employees. [1]

Passage in the state legislature

In the legislature, the bill that referred the amendment to voters was entitled "HJRCA 49 (2012)" and was sponsored by Michael Madigan. [2] It was required that, in order to qualify for the ballot, the measure be approved by 60% approval of both the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. [1] On April 18, 2012, it passed the House unanimously, 113–0. [2] On May 3, 2012, the bill passed the Senate, 51–2. [1]

Referendum

The amendment was referred to the voters in a referendum during the general election of 2012 Illinois elections on November 6, 2012.

Ballot language

The ballot text read,

Upon approval by the voters, the proposed amendment, which takes effect on January 9, 2013, adds a new section to the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Constitution. The new section would require a three-fifths majority vote of each chamber of the General Assembly or the governing body of a unit of local government, school district, or pension or retirement system, in order to increase a benefit under any public pension or retirement system. At the general election to be held on November 6, 2012, you will be called upon to decide whether the proposed amendment should become part of the Illinois Constitution.

If you believe the Illinois Constitution should be amended to require a three-fifths majority vote in order to increase a benefit under any public pension or retirement system, you should vote YES on the question. If you believe the Illinois Constitution should not be amended to require a three-fifths majority vote in order to increase a benefit under any public pension or retirement system, you should vote NO on the question. Three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election must vote "YES" in order for the amendment to become effective on January 9, 2013.

For the proposed addition of Section 5.1 to Article XIII of the Illinois Constitution.

YES

NO [1]

Endorsements

Yes [1]
Organizations
  • Illinois Municipal League
Officeholders
No [1]
Organizations

Results

In order to be approved, the measure required either 60% support among those specifically voting on the amendment or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections. [3] The measure failed to achieve either. [3]

Illinois Public Pension Amendment [3] [4]
OptionVotes % of votes
on measure
 % of all ballots
cast
Yes1,901,83743.8436.32
No2,436,05156.1646.52
Total votes4,337,88810082.84
Voter turnout57.68%

Related Research Articles

A constitutional amendment is a modification of the constitution of a polity, organization or other type of entity. Amendments are often interwoven into the relevant sections of an existing constitution, directly altering the text. Conversely, they can be appended to the constitution as supplemental additions, thus changing the frame of government without altering the existing text of the document.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California ballot proposition</span> Statewide referendum item in California

In California, a ballot proposition is a referendum or an initiative measure that is submitted to the electorate for a direct decision or direct vote. If passed, it can alter one or more of the articles of the Constitution of California, one or more of the 29 California Codes, or another law in the California Statutes by clarifying current or adding statute(s) or removing current statute(s).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 California Proposition 218</span> Adopted initiative constitutional amendment on taxation

Proposition 218 is an adopted initiative constitutional amendment which revolutionized local and regional government finance and taxation in California. Named the "Right to Vote on Taxes Act," it was sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association as a constitutional follow-up to the landmark property tax reduction initiative constitutional amendment, Proposition 13, approved in June 1978. Proposition 218 was approved and adopted by California voters during the November 5, 1996, statewide general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona ballot proposition</span> Proposed laws presented to voters for approval

A ballot proposition in the state of Arizona refers to any legislation brought before the voters of the state for approval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Colorado</span>

The Constitution of the State of Colorado is the foundation of the laws and government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The Colorado State Constitution was drafted on March 14, 1876; approved by Colorado voters on July 1, 1876; and took effect upon the statehood of Colorado on August 1, 1876. As of 2020, the constitution has been amended at least 166 times. The Constitution of Colorado derives its authority from the sovereignty of the people. As such, the people of Colorado reserved specific powers in governing Colorado directly; in addition to providing for voting for Governor, state legislators, and judges, the people of Colorado have reserved initiative of laws and referendum of laws enacted by the legislature to themselves, provided for recall of office holders, and limit tax increases beyond set amounts without explicit voter approval, and must explicitly approve any change to the constitution, often with a 55% majority. The Colorado state constitution is one of the longest in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Halbrook</span> American politician

Brad Halbrook is a Republican member of the Illinois General Assembly. He was a small business owner who ran a company making fences before joining the general assembly. In April 2012, Halbrook was appointed to the state legislature to fill out the term of retiring state legislator Roger L. Eddy. He did not run for re-election in 2014 and was succeeded by Reggie Phillips, and he returned to the Illinois House after the 2016 elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marsy's Law (Illinois)</span> Illinois law establishing protections for crime victims

Marsy's Law for Illinois, formally called the Illinois Crime Victims' Bill of Rights, amended the 1993 Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act by establishing additional protections for crime victims and their families. Voters approved the measure as a constitutional amendment on November 4, 2014. It became law in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 New York Proposition 1</span>

New York Proposition 1 was a 2017 ballot measure that would have established a constitutional convention to revise the Constitution of the State of New York, subject to the approval of the voters. Section 2 of Article XIX of the state constitution requires that every 20 years the ballot question "Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution and amend the same?" should be submitted to the voters. The referendum was rejected by a large margin on November 7, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on November 6, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1970 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 3, 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1966 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 8, 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 3, 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 6, 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1958 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 4, 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1954 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 2, 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1944 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 7, 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Florida Amendment 4</span>

2020 Florida Amendment 4, commonly known as the Think Twice Initiative was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Florida that failed by 52.47% to 47.53% in the 2020 election on November 3, 2020. The amendment would have required new constitutional amendments to be approved by voters twice in order to go into effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Right to Vote Amendment</span> Amendment to the Constitution of Illinois, USA

On November 4, 2014, Illinois voters approved the Illinois Right to Vote Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to the Constitution of Illinois. The amendment was designed to provide that no person shall be denied the right to register to vote or cast a ballot in an election based on race, color, ethnicity, language, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation or income.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Governor Recall Amendment</span>

On November 2, 2010, Illinois voters approved the Illinois Governor Recall Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to the Constitution of Illinois. The amendment changed the state constitution to allow recall elections of Illinois governors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1938 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 8, 1938.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Illinois Public Pension Amendment, HJRCA 49 (2012)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 Erickson, Kurt (18 April 2012). "House OKs pension amendment making 'sweetening' more difficult". JG-TC.com. JG-TC Springfield. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Illinois Constitution - Amendments Proposed". www.ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  4. "Voter Turnout". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 22 March 2020.[ permanent dead link ]