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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 Section 15 as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||
6 | (20 ILCS 2805/15) | |||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 15. Veterans advisory council. | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) A veterans advisory council shall be established in the | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | State of Illinois. The council shall consist of at least 18 17 | |||||||||||||||||||
10 | members as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||
11 | (1) Four members of the General Assembly, appointed one | |||||||||||||||||||
12 | each by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | preferably from a legislative or representative district | |||||||||||||||||||
16 | in which a State-operated veterans home is located. | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | (2) Six veterans appointed by the Director of Veterans' | |||||||||||||||||||
18 | Affairs. | |||||||||||||||||||
19 | (2.5) One member of the Illinois National Guard | |||||||||||||||||||
20 | appointed by the Adjutant General of the Illinois National | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | Guard. | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | (3) One veteran appointed by the commander or president | |||||||||||||||||||
23 | of each veterans service organization that is chartered by |
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1 | the federal government and by the State of Illinois and | ||||||
2 | elects to appoint a member. | ||||||
3 | No member of the council shall be an employee or | ||||||
4 | representative of the Department of Veterans' Affairs. | ||||||
5 | Members of the council shall serve without compensation or | ||||||
6 | reimbursement. | ||||||
7 | (b) At the initial meeting of the council, the members | ||||||
8 | shall elect from among themselves a chairman. The members shall | ||||||
9 | draw lots to determine the length of their terms so that 9 | ||||||
10 | members have terms that expire on July 1, 2005 and the | ||||||
11 | remaining members have terms that expire on July 1, 2006. | ||||||
12 | Thereafter, all members of the council shall be appointed for | ||||||
13 | terms of 2 years. | ||||||
14 | The appointing authority may at any time make an | ||||||
15 | appointment to fill a vacancy for the unexpired term of a | ||||||
16 | member. | ||||||
17 | (c) The council shall meet quarterly or at the call of the | ||||||
18 | chairman or at the call of the Director of Veterans' Affairs or | ||||||
19 | the Governor. The Department shall provide meeting space and | ||||||
20 | clerical and administrative support services for the council. | ||||||
21 | (d) The council has the power to do the following:
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22 | (1) Advise the Department of Veterans' Affairs with | ||||||
23 | respect to the fulfillment of its statutory duties. | ||||||
24 | (2) Review and study the issues and concerns that are | ||||||
25 | most significant to Illinois veterans and advise the | ||||||
26 | Department on those issues and concerns. |
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1 | (3) Receive a report from the Director of Veterans' | ||||||
2 | Affairs or the Director's designee at each meeting with | ||||||
3 | respect to the general activities of the Department. | ||||||
4 | (4) Report to the Governor and the General Assembly | ||||||
5 | annually describing the issues addressed and the actions | ||||||
6 | taken by the council during the year as well as any | ||||||
7 | recommendations for future action. | ||||||
8 | (e) The council established under this Section replaces any | ||||||
9 | Illinois Veterans Advisory Council established under Executive | ||||||
10 | Order No. 3 (1982).
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11 | (Source: P.A. 93-779, eff. 7-21-04.)
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