---
type: "Bill"
title: "PEN CD-ART 3-BENEFICIARY TRUST"
description: "Amends the Downstate Firefighters Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that any benefit to be received by or paid to a dependent beneficiary may be received by or paid to a trust established for such dependent beneficiary if the dependent beneficiary is living at the time such benefit would be received by or paid to such trust. Effective immediately."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "97th"
identifier: "SB 1278"
citation: "Illinois SB 1278 (97th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 25
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2011-02-08"
last_action: "2011-06-28"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/500f94c5-9e8a-4121-a1e5-3a31d03045be"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1278&GAID=11&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=56935&SessionID=84&GA=97"
source_hash: "4a973d77257b43eef81e8331a70a63589c4fa5de4525e693e52e64225db49eac"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois SB 1278 (97th) — PEN CD-ART 3-BENEFICIARY TRUST

Amends the Downstate Firefighters Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that any benefit to be received by or paid to a dependent beneficiary may be received by or paid to a trust established for such dependent beneficiary if the dependent beneficiary is living at the time such benefit would be received by or paid to such trust. Effective immediately.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700SB1278&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=56935&DocNum=1278&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700SB1278eng&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=56935&DocNum=1278&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09700SB1278enr&GA=97&SessionId=84&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=56935&DocNum=1278&GAID=11&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **54–0** (pass) · upper
- Third Reading — **114–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Don Harmon — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2011-02-08** Filed with Secretary by Sen. Don Harmon `filing`
- **2011-02-08** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2011-02-08** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2011-02-23** Assigned to Pensions and Investments `referral-committee`
- **2011-03-03** Do Pass Pensions and Investments; 009-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2011-03-03** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 8, 2011
- **2011-03-10** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2011-03-10** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 14, 2011
- **2011-04-08** Third Reading - Passed; 054-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2011-04-08** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2011-04-08** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2011-04-08** Chief House Sponsor Rep. Brandon W. Phelps
- **2011-04-08** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2011-04-08** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2011-04-12** Assigned to Personnel and Pensions Committee `referral-committee`
- **2011-05-05** Do Pass / Short Debate Personnel and Pensions Committee; 009-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2011-05-05** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2011-05-10** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2011-05-10** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2011-05-11** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 114-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2011-05-11** Passed Both Houses
- **2011-06-09** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2011-06-28** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2011-06-28** Effective Date June 28, 2011
- **2011-06-28** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 97-0041 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/500f94c5-9e8a-4121-a1e5-3a31d03045be`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).