(20 ILCS 1410/5)

Sec. 5. The George Bailey Memorial Program.

(a) The George Bailey Memorial Program is created under the Department of Insurance, under which any burn victim who, through no fault of his or her own, has become disabled and has been told by 2 independent physicians that his or her prognosis is that he or she has less than 18 months left to live shall immediately receive the 5 months' pay that he or she would have received for Social Security had there not been a mandatory 5-month waiting period. The person shall receive the same amount that he or she would receive under the Social Security disability insurance program, minus $25. This amount shall be paid in equal payments for 5 months, ending after the end of the 5-month period or upon the applicant's death.

As used in this Section, "through no fault of his or her own" means that the individual is not the proximate cause of his or her injury, through either gross negligence or by use of a substance that is well known to possibly cause grave bodily injury by a short amount of use or exposure.

(b) Any moneys that a person or his or her estate, trust, or heirs receive from a settlement for the injury that is the proximate cause of the person's disability under this Act or moneys received from Social Security disability benefits shall be used to repay the George Bailey Memorial Fund, except as provided under subsection (g) of this Section. The moneys shall be paid directly to the Department of Insurance for deposit in the Fund after the Department deducts a 20% administrative fee.

(c) Any person meeting the requirements of subsection (a) and whose application is approved shall be eligible to participate in the Program.

(d) Any active member of the United States Armed Forces shall be eligible if he or she was a resident of Illinois for at least 12 months before enlisting and he or she planned to return to Illinois.

(e) Any legal resident of Illinois who, at the time of the injury, was a resident of Illinois who would qualify under subsection (a) shall not be disqualified for residency requirements, provided that he or she was a legal resident at the time of the injury.

(f) Any legal resident of Illinois is eligible for participation in the Program and shall not be disqualified if the injury occurs outside of the State.

(g) The State shall have lien rights against all settlements or moneys otherwise collected due to the injury under this Act, but if the amount collected is less than the amount owed to the State through the Program, the State may not attach anything beyond the moneys given under the Program.

(Source: P.A. 99-455, eff. 1-1-16.)