Oral arguments scheduled in Illinois pension lawsuit

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced it will hear oral arguments in the state’s landmark pension-overhaul case on March 11.

Arguments will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the high court chamber in downtown Springfield.

The Illinois General Assembly and former Gov. Pat Quinn adopted a plan in late 2013 designed to cut into the $111 billion deficit in four state pension programs built by years of underfunding.

Several beneficiaries — state workers, retired teachers, and others — filed a lawsuit and a Sangamon County circuit judge found the law unconstitutional last fall. The judge ruled that the law violated a provision prohibiting reducing or impairing pension allowances. The law slightly reduced retirement-fund contributions but also decreased benefits.