IL House committee considers creating pension commission
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (FOX 32 News) -
A House committee is considering a proposal to create a commission that could reform the public pension system without legislative input.
Pension-reform sponsor Rep. Elaine Nekritz called the House Personnel and Pension Committee to a meeting Tuesday afternoon to consider an amendment to her bill. She said earlier she didn't think she had enough votes to pass comprehensive reform.
The change would create an eight-member commission to come up with recommendations by April 30 for closing a $96 billion deficit. It could enact those reforms with a majority of five votes unless overturned by the Legislature.
Gov. Pat Quinn told the committee the panel was like the federal commission that closes military bases. He called the measure "extraordinary action" to help break the gridlock.
Governor Quinn called state senators back to Springfield, to hammer out a deal on Illinois' pension mess on Tuesday. The House met midday Tuesday, and the Senate is expected to meet in the afternoon.
The current plan up that's up for debate would freeze cost-of-living increases and require state employees to contribute more to the pension fund. An Illinois House committee approved that bill on Monday.
Tuesday is the final full day of the lame-duck session. State lawmakers need to reach a deal before new lawmakers are sworn in Wednesday, or they will have to start from scratch in the next session.
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Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
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Former White House social secretary Desiree Rogers has been appointed to head the board of a government-supported nonprofit that promotes Chicago as a tourism and convention destination.
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Republicans call them "scandals." Democrats call them "fishing expeditions." Whatever the case, the Obama administration finds itself trying to fix three big problems this week. FOX's Bret Baier reports.
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Friday, May 17 2013 7:51 PM EDT2013-05-17 23:51:51 GMT
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn must decide if he will sign a measure allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes after the state Senate approved legislation on Friday.
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President Barack Obama, seeking to regain his footing amid controversies hammering the White House, named a temporary chief for the scandal-marred Internal Revenue Service Thursday and pressed Congress to approve new...
After initially opposing the legalization of medical marijuana in Illinois, Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon now supports the bill awaiting a State Senate vote. She told Good Day Chicago why she changed her mind.
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An Afghan official says a bomb hidden in a parked motorcycle has ripped through a crowded bazaar in a remote region of the southern Helmand province, killing at least three people and wounding seven.
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