Judge reverses field; pension ruling may come sooner than expected


 
Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge John W. Belz said today that he expects to issue a ruling on the pension reform lawsuits by the end of the calendar year in light of the recent decision by the Illinois Supreme Court that protected the health insurance benefits of retirees and public workers.

 

Prior to the decision by the state Supreme Court in the Kanerva v. Weems case, Belz had indicated that he would not make a quick ruling and wanted to hear testimony from witnesses for the plaintiffs and for the state. He reversed field at Thursday's status hearing and said that he would not be considering testimony from expert witnesses the state had planned to call to support their argument that the pension reform law that passed last spring was necessary because of the state's financial crisis.

 

"This is an encouraging development and underscores our beliefs from the outset that the pension protection clause in the state constitution was very clear and that the bill that passed was unconstitutional," said Dr. Brent Clark, executive director of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA). "We stand ready to work with legislators on a reasonable solution that is within the confines of the constitution."

 

Thursday's development could significantly speed up the court resolution to the issue. If Belz issues his ruling by the end of the year, an appeal could be heard by the Illinois Supreme Court in the first six months of 2015 with a Supreme Court ruling by the end of 2015 or early 2016. The next hearing on the case is scheduled for October 8.


Yours for better schools,

 

Dr. Brent Clark

Executive Director