95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB0597

 

Introduced 2/8/2007, by Sen. Don Harmon

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the National Guard Veterans Exposure to Hazardous Materials Act. Provides that on and after October 1, 2007, the Adjutant General shall assist any member of the Illinois National Guard who served in the Persian Gulf War or in an area designated as a combat zone by the President of the United States during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom who (i) has been assigned a risk level I, II, or III for depleted uranium exposure by his or her branch of service, (ii) is referred by a military physician, or (iii) has reason to believe that he or she was exposed to depleted uranium during such service, in obtaining federal treatment services, including a best practice health screening test for exposure to depleted uranium. Provides that no State funds shall be used to pay for such tests or other federal treatment services. Requires the Adjutant General to submit a report to the General Assembly by October 1, 2007. Creates a task force to: (1) initiate a health registry for veterans and military personnel returning from Afghanistan, Iraq, or other countries in which depleted uranium or other hazardous materials may be found; (2) develop a plan for outreach to and follow-up of military personnel; (3) prepare a report for service members concerning potential exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic chemical substances and the precautions recommended under combat and noncombat conditions while in a combat zone; and (4) make other recommendations. Requires the task force to submit a report to the General Assembly by January 31, 2008, and terminates the task force on the date that it submits the report or on January 31, 2008, whichever is earlier. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning veterans.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 National Guard Veterans Exposure to Hazardous Materials Act.
 
6     Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7     "Depleted uranium" means uranium containing less
8 uranium-235 than the naturally occurring distribution of
9 uranium isotopes.
10     "Eligible member" means a member of the Illinois National
11 Guard who served in the Persian Gulf War, as defined in 38
12 U.S.C. 101, or in an area designated as a combat zone by the
13 President of the United States during Operation Enduring
14 Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.
15     "Military physician" includes a physician who is under
16 contract with the United States Department of Defense to
17 provide physician services to members of the armed forces.
18     "Veteran" means any person honorably discharged from, or
19 released under honorable conditions from active service in, the
20 armed forces who served as an eligible member.
 
21     Section 10. Assistance in obtaining treatment. On and after
22 October 1, 2007, the Adjutant General shall assist any eligible

 

 

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1 member or veteran who (i) has been assigned a risk level I, II,
2 or III for depleted uranium exposure by his or her branch of
3 service, (ii) is referred by a military physician, or (iii) has
4 reason to believe that he or she was exposed to depleted
5 uranium during such service, in obtaining federal treatment
6 services, including a best practice health screening test for
7 exposure to depleted uranium using a bioassay procedure
8 involving sensitive methods capable of detecting depleted
9 uranium at low levels and the use of equipment with the
10 capacity to discriminate between different radioisotopes in
11 naturally occurring levels of uranium and the characteristic
12 ratio and marker for depleted uranium. No State funds shall be
13 used to pay for such tests or other federal treatment services.
 
14     Section 15. Report concerning National Guard training. On
15 or before October 1, 2007, the Adjutant General shall submit a
16 report to the General Assembly on the scope and adequacy of
17 training received by members of the Illinois National Guard on
18 detecting whether their service as eligible members is likely
19 to entail, or to have entailed, exposure to depleted uranium.
20 The report shall include an assessment of the feasibility and
21 cost of adding predeployment training concerning potential
22 exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic chemical
23 substances and the precautions recommended under combat and
24 noncombat conditions while in a combat zone.
 

 

 

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1     Section 20. Task force.
2     (a) There is established a task force to study the health
3 effects of the exposure to hazardous materials, including, but
4 not limited to, depleted uranium, as they relate to military
5 service. The task force shall do the following:
6         (1) Initiate a health registry for veterans and
7     military personnel returning from Afghanistan, Iraq, or
8     other countries in which depleted uranium or other
9     hazardous materials may be found.
10         (2) Develop a plan for outreach to and follow-up of
11     military personnel.
12         (3) Prepare a report for service members concerning
13     potential exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic
14     chemical substances and the precautions recommended under
15     combat and noncombat conditions while in a combat zone.
16         (4) Make any other recommendations the task force
17     considers appropriate.
18     (b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
19         (1) The Adjutant General or his or her designee.
20         (2) The Director of Veterans' Affairs or his or her
21     designee.
22         (3) The Director of Public Health or his or her
23     designee.
24         (4) Six members who are members of the General
25     Assembly, appointed 2 each by the President of the Senate
26     and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one

 

 

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1     each by the Minority Leader of the Senate and the Minority
2     Leader of the House of Representatives.
3         (5) Two members who are veterans with knowledge of or
4     experience with exposure to hazardous materials, appointed
5     one each by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
6     the House of Representatives.
7         (6) Four members who are physicians or scientists with
8     knowledge of or experience in the detection or health
9     effects of exposure to depleted uranium or other hazardous
10     materials, appointed one each by the President of the
11     Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of
12     the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of
13     the House of Representatives.
14     (c) All appointments to the task force shall be made no
15 later than 30 days after the effective date of this Act. Any
16 vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
17     (d) The members of the task force shall select as
18 chairpersons of the task force one Senator and one
19 Representative from among the members appointed under
20 paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of this Section. The
21 chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task
22 force, which shall be held no later than 60 days after the
23 effective date of this Act.
24     (e) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
25 House of Representatives shall ensure that adequate
26 administrative staff is assigned to meet the needs of the task

 

 

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1 force.
2     (f) Not later than January 31, 2008, the task force shall
3 submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the
4 General Assembly. The task force shall terminate on the date
5 that it submits the report or on January 31, 2008, whichever is
6 earlier.
 
7     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8 becoming law.