The Illinois House adjourned Tuesday afternoon, without voting on a pension reform bill. Quad City lawmaker Rich Morthland says no action will be taken on reform during the lame duck session which officially ends Wednesday at noon.
A bill was pending on the House floor that called for freezing cost of living raises for state retirees for six years, and require employees to pay more toward their retirement. House sponsors weren’t able to line up enough votes.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn lobbied hard for a compromise as the clock ticked toward Tuesday night to try and close a 96 billion dollar pension gap, but came up short.
Late Tuesday, Quinn threw his support behind a bill that would form a commission to vote on reforms, similar he said to the federal military base closing commission.
The House Committee voted 7 to 2 to advance the bill to the full House, but Speaker Mike Madigan adjourned the lame-duck session without calling it up for a vote.