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| | HB3346 Engrossed | | LRB098 08230 RPM 38328 b |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning military service.
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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 1. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is |
| 5 | | amended by adding Section 31 as follows:
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| 6 | | (20 ILCS 2805/31 new) |
| 7 | | Sec. 31. Women Veterans Task Force. |
| 8 | | (a) The General Assembly finds that far too often the |
| 9 | | sacrifices of women veterans are overlooked. This frequently |
| 10 | | leads to women veterans being left out of veterans' |
| 11 | | organizations. In addition, most veterans services are |
| 12 | | targeted to men. The purpose of this Section is to establish a |
| 13 | | task force to examine the needs of women veterans with respect |
| 14 | | to issues including, but not limited to, compensation, |
| 15 | | rehabilitation, outreach, health care, and issues facing women |
| 16 | | veterans in the community, and to offer solutions on how best |
| 17 | | to alleviate these needs. |
| 18 | | (b) The Women Veterans Task Force is created within the |
| 19 | | Department of Veterans' Affairs. The Task Force shall be |
| 20 | | comprised of women veterans appointed as follows: |
| 21 | | (1) Five members appointed by the Governor. |
| 22 | | (2) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of |
| 23 | | Representatives. |
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| | HB3346 Engrossed | - 2 - | LRB098 08230 RPM 38328 b |
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| 1 | | (3) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the |
| 2 | | House of Representatives. |
| 3 | | (4) One member appointed by the President of the |
| 4 | | Senate. |
| 5 | | (5) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the |
| 6 | | Senate. |
| 7 | | (c) Vacancies in the Task Force shall be filled by the |
| 8 | | initial appointing authority. |
| 9 | | (d) Members of the Task Force shall serve without |
| 10 | | compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses |
| 11 | | incurred in performing duties associated with the Task Force. |
| 12 | | (e) The Task Force shall examine the needs of women |
| 13 | | veterans with respect to issues including, but not limited to, |
| 14 | | compensation, rehabilitation, outreach, health care, and |
| 15 | | issues facing women veterans in the community, and offer |
| 16 | | solutions on how best to meet these needs. |
| 17 | | (f) By July 1, 2014 and by July 1 of each year thereafter, |
| 18 | | the Task Force shall present an annual report of its findings |
| 19 | | to the Governor, the Director of Veterans' Affairs, and the |
| 20 | | Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. |
| 21 | | (g) If the Task Force becomes inactive on July 1, 2015 |
| 22 | | because active theaters cease, the Director of Veterans' |
| 23 | | Affairs may reactivate the Task Force if active theaters are |
| 24 | | reestablished.
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| 25 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
| 26 | | becoming law.
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