Lawmakers in both the Illinois House and Senate will be back in session on August 17th. Governor Quinn has called them back to tackle pension reform.
Illinois has an 83-billion dollar pension liability and it's costing taxpayers more than 12-million dollars a day. The issue has been tied up over a cost-shift proposal that would've put more weight on downstate and suburban schools. Legislative leaders decided to take time and study the impact of cost-shifting but Quinn says they've had long enough. Now, he says, it's time to take a vote.
State representatives were already scheduled to be in Springfield that day. They're planning to vote on the fate of their colleague, Derrick Smith. A special panel has recommended the full House expel Smith over his alleged participation in a bribery scheme. At least 79 state representatives will have to vote to expel in order for it to be effective.
