Sen. Cristina Castro
Filed: 5/2/2019
 
 

 

 

 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 120




2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 120 by replacing 
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:

 
4    "Section 5. The Department of Veterans' Affairs Act is 
5amended  by adding Section 38 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2805/38 new)
7    Sec. 38. Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force.
8    (a) The Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force is 
9created. The Task Force shall review and make recommendations 
10regarding veterans' service-related ailments that are not 
11recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 
12including exploring why certain service-related ailments are 
13not recognized and determining what may be done to have them 
14recognized.
15    Additionally, the Task Force shall assess ways the State of 
16Illinois can improve the rate at which disability compensation 
 
 
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1claims are approved by the federal government and correct the 
2disparity between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' 
3approval of disability compensation for Illinois veterans and 
4that which is approved for veterans in other states.
5    (b) The Task Force shall have 15 members, comprised as 
6follows:
7        (1) The Director of Veterans' Affairs or the Director's 
8    designee, who shall serve as chairperson.
9        (2) 2 Members from the House of Representatives, 
10    appointed one each by the Speaker of the House and the 
11    House Minority Leader.
12        (3) 2 Members of the Senate, appointed one each by the 
13    President of the Senate and the Senate Minority Leader.
14        (4) One veteran, appointed by the Director of Veterans' 
15    Affairs.
16        (5) One medical professional with experience working 
17    with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, appointed by 
18    the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
19        (6) 4 representatives from a variety of veterans 
20    organizations representing geographic diversity in the 
21    State, appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
22        (7) 4 members appointed by the chair of the Veterans' 
23    Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and the 
24    chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the Senate. 
25    Those appointed to the Task Force under this paragraph 
26    shall be members of different Illinois counties' Veterans 
 
 
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1    Assistance Commissions, Veteran Service Officers, and 
2    VITAS officials.
3    Task Force members shall serve without compensation but
may 
4be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in performing their 
5duties.
6    (c) The Task Force shall meet at least once every 2 months 
7beginning July 1, 2019, and at other times as determined by the 
8Task Force.
9    (d) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide 
10administrative and other support to the Task Force.
11    (e) The Task Force shall prepare a report that summarizes 
12its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study. 
13The Task Force shall submit the report of its findings and 
14recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by 
15December 31, 2020. The Task Force is dissolved, and this 
16Section is repealed, on December 31, 2021. 
 

17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
18becoming law.".