HB5184 EngrossedLRB102 23259 KTG 32424 b

1    AN ACT concerning veterans.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing
5Section 5-2006 as follows:
 
6    (55 ILCS 5/5-2006)  (from Ch. 34, par. 5-2006)
7    Sec. 5-2006. Tax for Veterans Assistance Commission
8veterans assistance commission. The county board of each
9county having a population of less than 3 million in which
10there is a Veterans Assistance Commission as provided in
11Section 9 of the Military Veterans Assistance Act may levy a
12tax of not to exceed .03% of the assessed value annually on all
13taxable property of the county, for the purpose of providing
14assistance to military veterans and their families pursuant to
15such Act. Whenever not less than 10% of the electors of the
16county petition the county board to levy the tax at not to
17exceed .04% of the assessed value, the county board shall
18certify the proposition to the proper election officials who
19shall submit the proposition at the next general election in
20accordance with the general election law. If a majority of the
21electors vote in favor of the proposition, the county board
22may, annually, levy the tax as authorized. The proceeds of any
23tax so levied shall be used exclusively for the assistance

 

 

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1purposes authorized thereunder, and a portion thereof may be
2expended for the salaries or expenses of any officers or
3employees of the Veterans Assistance Commission or for any
4other expenses incident to the administration of such
5assistance.
6    The tax shall be separate from the in addition to all other
7taxes which the county is authorized to levy on the aggregate
8valuation of the property within the county and shall not be
9included in any tax limitation of the rate upon which taxes are
10required to be extended, but shall be excluded therefrom and
11in addition thereto. The tax shall be levied and collected in
12like manner as the general taxes of the county, and, when
13collected, shall be paid into a special fund in the county
14treasury and used only as herein authorized, or disbursed from
15the county treasury of a county in which a properly organized
16Veterans Assistance Commission is authorized under Section
173-11008 of this Code.
18    The limitations on tax rates herein provided may be
19increased or decreased under the referendum provisions of the
20General Revenue Law of Illinois.
21    If a county has levied the tax herein authorized or
22otherwise meets the conditions set out in Section 12-21.13 of
23"the Illinois Public Aid Code", to qualify for State funds to
24supplement local funds for public purposes under Articles III,
25IV, V, VI, and VII, and IX of that Code and otherwise meets the
26conditions set out in Article XII of that Code for receipt of

 

 

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1State aid, the Illinois Department of Human Services shall
2allocate and pay to the county such additional sums as it
3determines to be necessary to meet the needs of assistance to
4military veterans and their families in the county and
5expenses incident to the administration of such assistance.
6County Veterans Assistance Commissions shall be in charge of
7the administration of such assistance provided under Articles
8VI and IX of the Illinois Public Aid Code for military veterans
9and their families.
10
11(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)
 
12    Section 10. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
13changing Section 2-14 as follows:
 
14    (305 ILCS 5/2-14)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2-14)
15    Sec. 2-14. "Local governmental unit". Every county, city,
16village, incorporated town or township charged with the duty
17of providing public aid under Article VI; and County Veterans
18Assistance Commissions providing general assistance to
19indigent war veterans and their families under Section
2012-21.13 of Article XII.
21    However, should any Section of this Code impose the
22obligation of providing medical assistance to persons who are
23non-residents of the State of Illinois upon a local
24governmental unit, the term "local governmental unit" shall

 

 

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1not include townships. In such case the obligation for
2providing medical assistance to non-residents which would
3otherwise be the duty of a township shall become the
4obligation of the Department of Healthcare and Family
5Services.
6(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)
 
7    Section 15. The Military Veterans Assistance Act is
8amended by changing Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10
9as follows:
 
10    (330 ILCS 45/1)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3081)
11    Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act:
12    "Veteran service organization" means a post, ship, camp,
13chapter, or detachment of a congressionally chartered or state
14chartered veteran service organization.
15    The term "Administrator Overseer of military veterans
16assistance" means the commanders of the various veteran
17service organizations, the superintendent of a County Veterans
18Assistance Commission, or other , as used in this Act, shall be
19construed to mean all persons whose duty it is, under the
20existing statutes, to care for, relieve or maintain, wholly or
21in part, any person who may be entitled to such assistance
22under the statutes of the State of Illinois. This Act shall not
23infringe upon the mandated powers and authorities vested in
24the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 87-796.)
 
2    (330 ILCS 45/2)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3082)
3    Sec. 2. For the just, necessary, and needed assistance and
4services assistance of military veterans, who served in the
5Armed Forces of the United States and did not receive a bad
6conduct or dishonorable discharge , whose last discharge from
7the service was honorable to be eligible for assistance, their
8families, and the families of deceased veterans with service
9as described in this Section who need assistance and services.
10        (1) The supervisor of general assistance or the county
11    board shall provide such sums of money as may be just and
12    necessary to be drawn by the commander, quartermaster or
13    commandant of any post, ship, camp, chapter or detachment
14    of any congressionally chartered or state chartered
15    veterans service organization, in the city or town, or the
16    superintendent of any Veterans' Assistance Commission of
17    the county, upon the recommendation of the assistance
18    committee of the post, ship, camp, chapter or Veterans'
19    Assistance Commission.
20            (A) Funding for Veterans Assistance Commissions
21        may be derived from 3 sources, if applicable:
22                (i) a tax levied under Section 5-2006 of the
23            Counties Code and Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois
24            Public Aid Code;
25                (ii) funds from the county general corporate

 

 

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1            fund; and
2                (iii) State funds from the Department of Human
3            Services.
4            (B) The minimum amount to be provided annually to
5        Veterans Assistance Commissions is provided in Section
6        12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code, unless the
7        delegates of the County Veterans Assistance Commission
8        determine that a lesser amount covers the just and
9        necessary sums.
10        (2) If any supervisor of general assistance or county
11    board fails or refuses after such recommendation to
12    provide any just and necessary sums of money for such
13    assistance, then the veteran service organization
14    commander, post, chapter, or detachment or the
15    superintendent of any Veterans' Assistance Commission
16    located in the district of such supervisor of general
17    assistance or such county board shall apply to the circuit
18    court of the district or county for relief by mandamus
19    upon the supervisor of general assistance or county board
20    requiring him, her or it to pay, or to appropriate and pay
21    such sums of money, and upon proof made of the justice and
22    necessity of the claim, the circuit court shall grant the
23    sums so requested such assistance.
24        (3) Such sums of money shall be drawn in the manner now
25    provided under Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code and
26    Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code by law

 

 

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1    for the assistance of the poor. Orders of commanders,
2    quartermasters, commandants, or superintendents of
3    Veterans' Assistance Commissions shall be proper warrants
4    vouchers for the expenditure of such sums of money.
5(Source: P.A. 87-796.)
 
6    (330 ILCS 45/3)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3083)
7    Sec. 3. In case there is no veteran service post or camp of
8a military veterans organization, in any town in which it is
9necessary that such assistance as provided in Section 2 should
10be granted, the administrator overseer of military veterans
11assistance shall accept and pay the orders drawn, as
12hereinbefore provided by the commander, quartermaster or
13commandant of any veteran service organization post or camp of
14a military veterans organization, upon the recommendation of
15an assistance committee, who shall be residents of the said
16town in which the assistance may be furnished.
17(Source: P.A. 87-796.)
 
18    (330 ILCS 45/4)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3084)
19    Sec. 4. Upon the taking effect of this Act, the commander
20of any veteran service organization, or in a county in which a
21County Veterans Assistance Commission is properly created post
22or camp of a military veterans organization, which shall
23undertake the assistance of military veterans and their
24families, as hereinbefore provided, before the acts of the

 

 

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1commander, quartermaster or commandant shall be operative in
2any city or town, shall file with the city clerk of such city
3or town clerk of such town, or administrator overseer of
4military veterans assistance of such town or county, a notice
5that said veteran service organization post, camp, chapter or
6detachment intends to undertake such assistance as is provided
7by this Act, and such notice shall contain the names of the
8assistance committee of the veteran service organization post,
9camp, chapter or detachment in such city or town, and the
10commander and other officers of said veteran service
11organization post, camp, chapter or detachment. And the
12commander of the veteran service organization post, camp,
13chapter or detachment shall annually thereafter, during the
14month of October, file a similar notice with the city or town
15clerk, or the administrator overseer of military veterans
16assistance, also a detailed statement of the amount of
17assistance furnished during the preceding year, with the names
18of all persons to whom such assistance shall have been
19furnished, together with a brief statement in such case from
20the assistance committee upon whose recommendation the orders
21were drawn. Any person who fails or neglects so to do at the
22time required by this Act shall be guilty of a petty offense
23and fined $250 to be recovered in the name of the county in the
24circuit court.
25(Source: P.A. 87-796.)
 

 

 

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1    (330 ILCS 45/5)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3085)
2    Sec. 5. The auditing board of any city or town or county
3auditor, or the administrator overseer of military veterans
4assistance of any city, town, or county, which shall be the
5superintendent of any properly organized Veterans Assistance
6Commission, may require of the commander, quartermaster of any
7veteran service organization, or superintendent of any
8properly organized Veterans Assistance Commission or
9detachment of any post or camp of a military veterans
10organization, undertaking such assistance in any city or town,
11a bond with sufficient and satisfactory sureties for the
12faithful and honest discharge of their duties under this Act.
13(Source: P.A. 87-796.)
 
14    (330 ILCS 45/6)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3086)
15    Sec. 6. Overseers of military veterans assistance are
16hereby prohibited from sending military veterans (or their
17families or the families of those deceased) to any almshouse
18(or orphan asylum) without the full concurrence and consent of
19the commander and assistance committee of the post or camp of a
20military veterans organization having jurisdiction as provided
21in Sections 2 and 3 of this Act. Military veterans with
22families and the families of deceased veterans, shall,
23whenever practicable, be provided for and assisted at their
24homes in such city or town in which they shall have a
25residence, in the manner provided in Sections 2 and 3 of this

 

 

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1Act. Needy veterans or veterans with disabilities of the
2classes specified in Section 2 of this Act, who are not
3mentally ill, and who have no families or friends with which
4they may be domiciled, may be sent to any veterans home. Any
5less fortunate veteran of either of the classes specified in
6Section 2 of this Act or any member of the family of any living
7or deceased veteran of said classes, who may be mentally ill,
8shall, upon the recommendation of the commander and assistance
9committee of such post or camp of a military veterans
10organization, within the jurisdiction of which the case may
11occur, be sent to any mental health facility and cared for as
12provided for indigent persons who are mentally ill.
13(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
 
14    (330 ILCS 45/7)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3087)
15    Sec. 7. In case there shall be within the limits of any
16city or town more than one veteran service organization post
17or camp of military veterans organizations, it shall be the
18duty of the commander of each veteran service organization
19post, camp, chapter or detachment within such limits, to send
20to the commander of every other veteran service organization
21post, camp, chapter or detachment, as the case may be, within
22said limits, on the first day of each month, a written list of
23the names of all persons to whom assistance has been granted
24during the preceding month, under the provisions of this Act.
25(Source: P.A. 87-796.)
 

 

 

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1    (330 ILCS 45/8)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3088)
2    Sec. 8. The commander of any veteran service organization
3post or camp of a military veterans organization,
4congressionally chartered or state chartered commander, or the
5superintendent of any county Veterans' Assistance Commission
6of Illinois shall annually report to the Governor, on or
7before the first day of January of each year, such portions of
8the transactions of the aforementioned veteran service
9organization veterans' organizations relating thereto as the
10commander or superintendent he may deem to be of interest to
11that organization and the people of the State.
12(Source: P.A. 87-796.)
 
13    (330 ILCS 45/9)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3089)
14    Sec. 9. Veterans Assistance Commission.
15    (a) In counties having 2 or more veteran service
16organizations posts, camps, chapters or detachments of
17military veterans organizations as may be recognized by law,
18the veteran service organizations may come together to form a ,
19a central assistance committee may be organized to be known as
20the Veterans Assistance Commission of such county. The
21Veterans Assistance Commission of such county shall act as the
22central service office for all veterans and their families and
23for the families of deceased veterans. The Commission shall be
24, composed of delegates and alternates from a majority of such

 

 

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1veteran service organizations posts, camps, units, and
2chapters or ship selected annually as determined by each
3veteran service organization post, ship, camp, or chapter.
4When so organized a Commission commission shall be clothed
5with all the powers and charged with all the duties
6theretofore devolving upon the different veteran service
7organizations within the county posts and chapters as provided
8in Section 2.
9        (1) Every Beginning on January 1, 2017, and every
10    January 1 thereafter, all Veterans Assistance Commissions
11    shall publish a notice to each veteran service
12    organization post, camp, unit, chapter, ship, or
13    detachment of a military veterans organization within
14    their respective county calling on them to select
15    delegates and alternates for that county's Veterans
16    Assistance Commission by the methods provided in this
17    subsection. The Veterans Assistance Commissions shall
18    allow each veteran service organization until March 1 to
19    respond, at which time those delegates and alternates
20    shall begin their term of office post, camp, unit,
21    chapter, ship, or detachment of a military veterans
22    organization 60 days to respond.
23        (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), veteran
24    service organizations posts, camps, units, chapters,
25    ships, or detachments of a military veterans organization
26    shall be permitted to select one delegate and one

 

 

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1    alternate.
2        (3) In counties with 5 or more veteran service
3    organizations posts, camps, units, chapters, ships, or
4    detachments of the same military veterans organization,
5    all the constituent veteran service organizations posts,
6    camps, units, chapters, ships, or detachments of such
7    military organizations shall be permitted to select a
8    single delegate and single alternate to represent that
9    veteran service organization military veterans
10    organization instead of each constituent veteran service
11    organization post, camp, unit, chapter, ship, or
12    detachment selecting one delegate and one alternate. For
13    the purposes of meeting the majority requirement of this
14    subsection, when the constituent groups of a veteran
15    service organization military veterans organization choose
16    to select a single delegate and single alternate, the
17    single delegate and single alternate shall represent the
18    aggregate percentage of the constituent groups.
19        (4) If a veteran service organization post, camp,
20    unit, chapter, ship, or detachment of a military veterans
21    organization serves more than one county, then it shall be
22    permitted to select one delegate and one alternate for the
23    Veterans Assistance Commission in each county in which at
24    least 25% of its members reside.
25    (b) The Commission superintendent and the president or
26chairman of the county board, or some other county officer

 

 

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1appointed by him, shall have general oversight of the
2distribution of all moneys and supplies appropriated by the
3county for the benefit of military veterans and their
4families, subject to such rules, regulations, administrative
5procedures or audit reviews as are necessary as approved by
6the Commission county board to carry out the spirit and intent
7of this Act. No warrant authorized under this Act may be issued
8for the payment of money without the presentation of an
9itemized statement or claim, approved by the superintendent of
10the Commission.
11    If general assistance funds are allocated to a county for
12assistance to military veterans and their families as provided
13in the Illinois Public Aid Code, the administration of such
14funds and of county tax funds levied for such purpose as
15provided in Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code shall be
16subject to the supervision of the Department of Human Services
17in accordance with the provisions of the Illinois Public Aid
18Code.
19    (c) The Veterans Assistance Commission shall be in charge
20of the administration of any benefits provided under Articles
21VI and IX of the Illinois Public Aid Code for military veterans
22and their families. The Veterans Assistance Commission shall
23represent veterans in their application for benefits through
24State and federal agencies, including representing veterans in
25their appeals of adverse decisions. The superintendent of the
26Veterans Assistance Commission and its employees must comply

 

 

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1with the procedures and regulations adopted by the Veterans
2Assistance Commission and the regulations of the Department of
3Human Services. To further the intent of this Act of assisting
4military veterans, this Act is to be construed so that the
5Veterans Assistance Commission shall provide needed services
6to eligible veterans.
7(Source: P.A. 102-484, eff. 8-20-21.)
 
8    (330 ILCS 45/10)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3090)
9    Sec. 10. The executive powers of the Commission commission
10shall be vested in a superintendent elected by the Commission
11commission from among those who served honorably in the armed
12forces of the United States. The superintendent, designated
13superintendent of veterans assistance Superintendent of
14Veterans Assistance of the county, shall, under the direction
15of the Commission commission, have charge of and maintain an
16office in the county building or a other central location
17within the county, to be used solely by the Commission
18commission for providing the just, necessary, and needed
19services mandated by law carrying on its assistance work. The
20county shall provide for the funding of the office and furnish
21all necessary supplies, including telephone, printing,
22stationery, and postage therefor.
23    The county board shall, in any county where a Veterans
24Assistance Commission is organized, in addition to sums
25appropriated for these just, necessary, and needed services as

 

 

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1provided by law and approved by the Commission assistance and
2emergency assistance purposes under this Act, appropriate such
3additional sums, upon recommendation of the Veterans
4Assistance Commission and as approved by the county board, to
5properly compensate the officers and employees required to
6administer such assistance. Such county board approval shall
7be based upon recognized and established salary guidelines
8developed by the county and used by the county to compensate
9county employees. If the county does not have established
10employee salary guidelines, the county board shall provide
11funds to the commission to compensate the superintendent and
12his employees in a just manner. The county board shall also
13provide funds to the Commission commission to reimburse the
14superintendent, officers, delegates and employees for certain
15expenses which are approved by the Commission commission. The
16superintendent and other employees shall be employees of the
17Veterans Assistance Commission, and no provision in this
18Section or elsewhere in this Act shall be construed to mean
19that they are employees of the county.
20    Superintendents, subject to rules formulated by the
21Commission commission, shall select, as far as possible,
22Veteran Service Officers secretaries and other employees from
23among honorably discharged military veterans who did not
24receive a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge as defined in
25Section 2, or their surviving spouses.
26    In a county with less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the

 

 

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1superintendent may, in conformance with subsection (f) of
2Section 3-9005 of the Counties Code, request legal assistance
3from the State's Attorney serving the county in which the
4Veterans Assistance Commission is located.
5    Superintendents of all counties subject to this Act, when
6required by the Commission, commission, shall give bond in the
7sum of $2,000 for the faithful performance of their duties.
8    All persons elected or selected to fill positions provided
9for in this Section shall be exempt from the operation and
10provisions of any civil service act or laws of this State, and
11the secretary of the Commission commission shall be appointed
12by the superintendent. However, if "The Illinois Public Aid
13Code", as amended, becomes applicable in any county, the
14Department of Human Services may exercise the powers therein
15designated in relation to employees engaged in the
16administration of assistance under this Act.
17(Source: P.A. 102-56, eff. 7-9-21.)
 
18    (330 ILCS 45/11 rep.)
19    Section 20. The Military Veterans Assistance Act is
20amended by repealing Section 11.