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1 | AN ACT concerning State government.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | amended by changing and renumbering Section 20 as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (20 ILCS 2805/25)
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7 | Sec. 25
20 . Payments to veterans service organizations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) In this Section:
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9 | "Veterans service officer" means an individual employed by | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | a veterans service
organization and accredited by the United | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | States Department of Veterans Affairs
to
process claims and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | other benefits for veterans and their spouses
and
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13 | beneficiaries.
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14 | "Veterans service organization" means an organization that | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | meets all of the
following criteria:
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16 | (1) It is formed by and for United States military | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | veterans.
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18 | (2) It is chartered by the United States Congress and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | incorporated in the
State of Illinois.
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20 | (3) It maintained a state headquarters office in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | Illinois for the 10-year period immediately preceding July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | 1, 2006.
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23 | (4) It maintains at least one office in this State |
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1 | staffed by a veterans
service officer.
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2 | (5) It is capable of preparing a power of attorney for | ||||||
3 | a veteran and processing claims for veterans services.
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4 | (6) It is not funded by the State of Illinois or by any | ||||||
5 | county in this State.
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6 | "Veterans services" means the representation of veterans | ||||||
7 | in federal hearings to secure benefits for veterans and their | ||||||
8 | spouses and beneficiaries:
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9 | (1) Disability compensation benefits.
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10 | (2) Disability pension benefits.
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11 | (3) Dependents' indemnity compensation.
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12 | (4) Widow's death pension.
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13 | (5) Burial benefits.
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14 | (6) Confirmed and continued claims.
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15 | (7) Vocational rehabilitation and education.
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16 | (8) Waivers of indebtedness.
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17 | (9) Miscellaneous.
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18 | (b) The Veterans Service Organization Reimbursement Fund | ||||||
19 | is created as a special fund in the State treasury. Subject to | ||||||
20 | appropriation, the Department shall use moneys appropriated | ||||||
21 | from the Fund to make payments to a veterans service | ||||||
22 | organization for
veterans
services rendered on behalf of | ||||||
23 | veterans and their spouses and beneficiaries by
a veterans
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24 | service officer employed by the organization. The payment shall | ||||||
25 | be
computed at
the rate of $0.010 for each dollar of benefits | ||||||
26 | obtained for veterans or their
spouses or
beneficiaries |
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1 | residing in Illinois as a result of the efforts of the veterans
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2 | service officer.
There shall be no payment under this Section | ||||||
3 | for the value of health care
received
in a health care facility | ||||||
4 | under the jurisdiction of the United States Veterans
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5 | Administration. A veterans service organization may receive | ||||||
6 | compensation under this Fund or it may apply for grants from | ||||||
7 | the Illinois Veterans Assistance Fund, but in no event may a | ||||||
8 | veterans service organization receive moneys from both funds | ||||||
9 | during the same fiscal year. Funding for each applicant is | ||||||
10 | subject to renewal by the Department on an annual basis.
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11 | (c) To be eligible for a payment under this Section, a | ||||||
12 | veterans service
organization must document the amount of | ||||||
13 | moneys obtained for veterans and their
spouses and | ||||||
14 | beneficiaries in the form and manner required by the | ||||||
15 | Department.
The
documentation must include the submission to | ||||||
16 | the Department of a copy of the
organization's report or | ||||||
17 | reports to the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs
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18 | stating the amount of moneys obtained by the organization for | ||||||
19 | veterans and
their spouses
and beneficiaries in the month State | ||||||
20 | fiscal year for which payment under this
Section is
requested. | ||||||
21 | The organization must submit the copy of the report or reports , | ||||||
22 | and any other documentation required by the Department, to
the
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23 | Department no later than 15 days July 31 following the end of | ||||||
24 | the month State fiscal year for
which
payment is requested.
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25 | (d) In addition to the requirement of subsection (b) that | ||||||
26 | the Department use moneys appropriated from the Veterans |
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1 | Service Organization Reimbursement Fund for payments, the | ||||||
2 | Department may transfer up to $1,000,000 of those appropriated | ||||||
3 | moneys into the Illinois Veterans Assistance Fund for the | ||||||
4 | making of grants to veterans service organizations as described | ||||||
5 | in subsection (b). The Department shall make the payment under | ||||||
6 | this Section to a
veterans
service organization in a single | ||||||
7 | annual payment for each State fiscal year,
beginning with
the | ||||||
8 | State fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2007. The Department | ||||||
9 | must make the
payment
for a State fiscal year on or before | ||||||
10 | December 31 of the succeeding State fiscal
year.
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11 | (e) A veterans service organization shall use moneys | ||||||
12 | received
under this Section only for the purpose of paying the | ||||||
13 | salary and expenses of
one or more
veterans service officers | ||||||
14 | and the organization's related expenses incurred in
employing
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15 | the officer or officers for the processing of claims and other
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16 | benefits for
veterans and their spouses and beneficiaries.
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17 | (Source: P.A. 95-629, eff. 9-25-07; revised 12-6-07.)
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