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| 1 | AN ACT in relation to veterans.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||||
| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is | ||||||
| 5 | amended by adding
Section
20 as follows:
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| 6 | (20 ILCS 2805/20 new)
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| 7 | Sec. 20. Payments to veterans service organizations.
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| 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 processing of the following
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| 7 | claims and other benefits for veterans and their spouses and | ||||||
| 8 | 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) Subject to appropriations, the Department shall pay a | ||||||
| 19 | veterans service organization for
veterans
services rendered | ||||||
| 20 | on behalf of veterans and their spouses and beneficiaries by
a | ||||||
| 21 | veterans
service officer employed by the organization. The | ||||||
| 22 | payment shall be
computed at
the rate of $0.010 for each dollar | ||||||
| 23 | of benefits obtained for veterans or their
spouses or
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| 24 | beneficiaries residing in Illinois as a result of the efforts | ||||||
| 25 | of the veterans
service officer.
There shall be no payment | ||||||
| 26 | under this Section for the value of health care
received
in a | ||||||
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| 1 | health care facility under the jurisdiction of the United | ||||||
| 2 | States Veterans
Administration.
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| 3 | (c) To be eligible for a payment under this Section, a | ||||||
| 4 | veterans service
organization must document the amount of | ||||||
| 5 | moneys obtained for veterans and their
spouses and | ||||||
| 6 | beneficiaries in the form and manner required by the | ||||||
| 7 | Department.
The
documentation must include the submission to | ||||||
| 8 | the Department of a copy of the
organization's report or | ||||||
| 9 | reports to the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs
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| 10 | stating the amount of moneys obtained by the organization for | ||||||
| 11 | veterans and
their spouses
and beneficiaries in the State | ||||||
| 12 | fiscal year for which payment under this
Section is
requested. | ||||||
| 13 | The organization must submit the copy of the report or reports | ||||||
| 14 | to
the
Department no later than July 31 following the end of | ||||||
| 15 | the State fiscal year for
which
payment is requested.
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| 16 | (d) The Department shall make the payment under this | ||||||
| 17 | Section to a
veterans
service organization in a single annual | ||||||
| 18 | payment for each State fiscal year,
beginning with
the State | ||||||
| 19 | fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2007. The Department must | ||||||
| 20 | make the
payment
for a State fiscal year on or before December | ||||||
| 21 | 31 of the succeeding State fiscal
year.
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| 22 | (e) A veterans service organization shall use moneys | ||||||
| 23 | received
under this Section only for the purpose of paying the | ||||||
| 24 | salary and expenses of
one or more
veterans service officers | ||||||
| 25 | and the organization's related expenses incurred in
employing
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| 26 | the officer or officers for the processing of claims and other
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| 1 | benefits for
veterans and their spouses and beneficiaries.
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| 2 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
| 3 | becoming law. | ||||||