Public Act 093-0779
 
SB2844 Enrolled LRB093 20820 EFG 46744 b

    AN ACT in relation to veterans.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is
amended by adding Section 15 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2805/15 new)
    Sec. 15. Veterans advisory council.
    (a) A veterans advisory council shall be established in the
State of Illinois. The council shall consist of at least 17
members as follows:
        (1) Four members of the General Assembly, appointed one
    each by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of
    the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
    and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives,
    preferably from a legislative or representative district
    in which a State-operated veterans home is located.
        (2) Six veterans appointed by the Director of Veterans'
    Affairs.
        (3) One veteran appointed by the commander or president
    of each veterans service organization that is chartered by
    the federal government and by the State of Illinois and
    elects to appoint a member.
    No member of the council shall be an employee or
representative of the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
    Members of the council shall serve without compensation or
reimbursement.
    (b) At the initial meeting of the council, the members
shall elect from among themselves a chairman. The members shall
draw lots to determine the length of their terms so that 9
members have terms that expire on July 1, 2005 and the
remaining members have terms that expire on July 1, 2006.
Thereafter, all members of the council shall be appointed for
terms of 2 years.
    The appointing authority may at any time make an
appointment to fill a vacancy for the unexpired term of a
member.
    (c) The council shall meet quarterly or at the call of the
chairman or at the call of the Director of Veterans' Affairs or
the Governor. The Department shall provide meeting space and
clerical and administrative support services for the council.
    (d) The council has the power to do the following:
        (1) Advise the Department of Veterans' Affairs with
    respect to the fulfillment of its statutory duties.
        (2) Review and study the issues and concerns that are
    most significant to Illinois veterans and advise the
    Department on those issues and concerns.
        (3) Receive a report from the Director of Veterans'
    Affairs or the Director's designee at each meeting with
    respect to the general activities of the Department.
        (4) Report to the Governor and the General Assembly
    annually describing the issues addressed and the actions
    taken by the council during the year as well as any
    recommendations for future action.
    (e) The council established under this Section replaces any
Illinois Veterans Advisory Council established under Executive
Order No. 3 (1982).
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2004.