No Pension Vote Expected Monday

An Illinois House committee has given the go-ahead to a long-awaited plan to address Illinois’ pension crisis.

The proposal the panel approved 6-3 on Monday calls for higher employee contributions and freezes retirees’ cost-of-living increases. It now heads to the House floor.

The amended bill emerged over the weekend when the House reconvened for the final days of the lame-duck session.

It doesn’t contain a provision to make suburban and downstate schools pick up pension costs, something that previously had been a sticking point.

Gov. Pat Quinn and House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) back the bill.

Quinn had set a deadline for pension legislation for Wednesday, when new lawmakers take office.

But it’s unclear if or when the full House will consider the measure.  The House adjourned Monday without a floor vote.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook), says both Democrats and Republicans were assessing how many overall votes they had in support of the bill.

Nekritz declined to push a floor vote Monday. She says it will be called Tuesday “at the earliest.’’