Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit
Adopted in House on Nov 14, 2019
 
 

 

 

 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 83 




2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 83 by replacing 
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:


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7    (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2021)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

23(Source: P.A. 101-225, eff. 8-9-19.)
  
 
24    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
25becoming law.".