The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the state's pension reform law violates a provision in the state constitution that bars pension benefits for employees of state and local governments and school districts from being "diminished or impaired"

Rauner says his proposal- to place current state workers into a lesser plan going forward or giving them the option of taking a payout, then converting to a defined contribution plan - is better whatever Illinois' Supreme Court decides.

The base of former Gov. Pat Quinn's salary is protected under the pension overhaul he signed into law, but like other state employees, future hikes will be reduced should the court uphold its constitutionality.