093_HB1608
LRB093 07814 LCB 08003 b
1 AN ACT concerning veterans.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is
5 amended by changing Section 2.04 as follows:
6 (20 ILCS 2805/2.04) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.04)
7 Sec. 2.04. Veterans home moneys. There shall be
8 established in the State Treasury special funds known as (i)
9 the LaSalle Veterans Home Fund, (ii) the Anna Veterans Home
10 Fund, (iii) the Manteno Veterans Home Fund, (iv) the Quincy
11 Veterans Home Fund, and (v) the John Joseph Kelly Home Fund.
12 All moneys received by an Illinois Veterans Home from
13 Medicare and from maintenance charges to veterans, spouses,
14 and surviving spouses residing at that Home shall be paid
15 into that Home's Fund. All moneys received from the U.S.
16 Department of Veterans Affairs for patient care shall be
17 transmitted to the Treasurer of the State for deposit in the
18 Veterans Home Fund for the Home in which the veteran resides.
19 Appropriations shall be made from a Fund only for the needs
20 of the Home, including capital improvements, building
21 rehabilitation, and repairs.
22 The administrator of each Veterans Home shall establish a
23 locally-held member's benefits fund. Revenues accruing to an
24 Illinois Veterans Home, including any donations, grants for
25 the operation of the Home, profits from commissary stores,
26 and funds received from any individual or other source, shall
27 be deposited into that Home's benefits fund. Expenditures
28 from the benefits funds shall be solely for the special
29 comfort, pleasure, and amusement of residents. Contributors
30 of unsolicited private donations may specify the purpose for
31 which the private donations are to be used.
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1 Upon request of the Department, the State's Attorney of
2 the county in which a resident or living former resident of
3 an Illinois Veterans Home who is liable under this Act for
4 payment of sums representing maintenance charges resides
5 shall file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction
6 against any such person who fails or refuses to pay such
7 sums. The court may order the payment of sums due to
8 maintenance charges for such period or periods of time as the
9 circumstances require.
10 Upon the death of a person who is or has been a resident
11 of an Illinois Veterans Home who is liable for maintenance
12 charges and who is possessed of property, the Department may
13 present a claim for such sum or for the balance due in case
14 less than the rate prescribed under this Act has been paid.
15 The claim shall be allowed and paid as other lawful claims
16 against the estate.
17 The administrator of each Veterans Home shall establish a
18 locally-held trust fund to maintain moneys held for
19 residents. Whenever the Department finds it necessary to
20 preserve order, preserve health, or enforce discipline, the
21 resident shall deposit in a trust account at the Home such
22 monies from any source of income as may be determined
23 necessary, and disbursement of these funds to the resident
24 shall be made only by direction of the administrator.
25 If a resident of an Illinois Veterans Home has a
26 dependent child, spouse, or parent the administrator may
27 require that all monies received be deposited in a trust
28 account with dependency contributions being made at the
29 direction of the administrator. The balance retained in the
30 trust account shall be disbursed to the resident at the time
31 of discharge from the Home or to his or her heirs or legal
32 representative at the time of the resident's death, subject
33 to Department regulations or order of the court.
34 The Director of Central Management Services, with the
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1 consent of the Director of Veterans' Affairs, is authorized
2 and empowered to lease or let any real property held by the
3 Department of Veterans' Affairs for an Illinois Veterans Home
4 to entities or persons upon terms and conditions which are
5 considered to be in the best interest of that Home. The real
6 property must not be needed for any direct or immediate
7 purpose of the Home. In any leasing or letting, primary
8 consideration shall be given to the use of real property for
9 agricultural purposes, and all moneys received shall be
10 transmitted to the Treasurer of the State for deposit in the
11 appropriate Veterans Home Fund.
12 (Source: P.A. 91-634, eff. 8-19-99; 92-671, eff. 7-16-02.)