On May 6, 2026, Trustees and staff from the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund (CTPF) held a successful lobby day in Springfield, IL. The event educated lawmakers about legislative priorities and included a subject matter hearing on CTPF’s current health insurance funding bill HB4396. Executive Director Carlton W. Lenoir, Sr., CTPF Trustee Maria J. Rodriguez (who also serves as the Retired Teachers Association of Chicago President), Recording Secretary Lois Nelson, and Vice President Quentin S. Washington, offered in-person testimony urging lawmakers to advance the bill. The testimony was supported by more than 800 witness slips filed by CTPF members and stakeholders. 

“CTPF’s lobby day in Springfield ensured that our members’ needs were brought directly before lawmakers and that our collective voice was heard in support of our legislative priorities, in particular our Health Insurance funding bill HB 4396,” said Executive Director Carlton W. Lenoir, Sr. “Standing together reinforces the importance of this legislation and underscores the real impact these decisions have on our retirees.” 

Image

Caption

CTPF Lobby Day in Springfield attendees included, from left to right: Vice President Quentin S. Washington (Chair, Pension Laws and Rules Committee), President Jacquelyn Price Ward, Trustee Maria J. Rodriguez, Trustee Tammie F. Vinson, Recording Secretary Lois Nelson, and Executive Director Carlton W. Lenoir, Sr.

Health Insurance Funding Increase SB 1893 | HB 4396 

SB 1893 - PEN CD-CTPF-HEALTH INS COSTS 

Sponsored by Sen. Robert F. Martwick  

HB 4396 - PEN CD-CTPF-HEALTH INS COSTS 

Sponsored by Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit  

This proposal introduced in both the Illinois House and Senate, would increase the annual partial reimbursement for health insurance for CTPF retirees from $65M to $100M, and provide for an inflation adjustment for the subsidy based on the consumer price index-u. 

• This change aims to address the rising costs of health insurance and the growing number of retirees, ensuring that the subsidy provided to pensioners remains sustainable.   
• CTPF has provided a subsidy for health insurance since 1986. The current subsidy amount has been capped at $65 million since 2004.
• This bill enjoys widespread support from CTPF’s 98,000 members, and from the Retired Teachers Association of Chicago and the Chicago Teachers Union.  

Find more information about CTPF members, pensions, and legislative priorities here.