The Illinois Supreme Court ruled unanimously on May 8, 2015 that the 2013 state law overhauling Teachers Retirement System benefits is unconstitutional.

The high court decided that changes in retirement benefits enacted by the law violated the Pension Protection Clause of the Illinois Constitution. This decision upholds a 2014 ruling by a Sangamon County Circuit Court and is the final chapter in the legal challenge to the law.

With this decision, TRS members in Tier I and Tier II will see no changes in the administration of their retirement benefits. The current retirement benefit calculation, cost-of-living-adjustment calculation, active member contribution rate, eligibility standards for retirement and all other current laws governing teacher pensions will not be changed.

To read the Illinois Supreme Courts decision in this case, select this link: Supreme Court Decision

During this year's Teacher Appreciation Week, your retirement system would like to thank you for choosing a career in education. As you continue to prepare children for their futures, TRS will continue to work diligently to preserve your well-deserved retirement. We join schoolchildren and parents throughout Illinois in saluting your professionalism and dedication to your students. Thank you!

Andrew J. Hirshman of Oak Park and Cinda J. Klickna of Rochester were elected by active TRS members on May 1 to the Systems Board of Trustees, according to preliminary results released by TRS. In addition, Daniel Winter of Decatur will fill a seat on the Board selected by retired members.

For more information on the election results, please read the press release.

The annual Benefits Choice Period for the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) will be May 1 through June 1, 2015. Detailed TRIP information booklets are mailed by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services during this time.

The Benefits Choice Period is the time that TRIP participants not currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug insurance plan may change health insurance carriers or add an eligible dependent to their insurance coverage, provided that the dependent has not been enrolled in TRIP previously.

For more information please visit the TRS TRIP page or the CMS Benefit Choice website.

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Illinois Teachers Retirement System