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Supreme Court Says Nonprofit Must Pay Pension Liability
By: Associated Press
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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled that a nonprofit mental health provider can’t use bankruptcy to escape its financial obligations to the state pension system.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the unanimous ruling on Thursday could help protect the financial viability of one of the country’s worst-funded public pension systems.
Louisville mental health provider Centerstone owes an estimated $130 million to the Kentucky Retirement Systems, which manages the state’s pension fund.
The court ruled that Centerstone had a statutory obligation to pay into the system, which bankruptcy does not erase. Centerstone had argued that it had a contractual obligation.
A concern for state officials was whether other nonprofits remaining in the system would use bankruptcy to leave if the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Centerstone.