HB3970eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3970 Engrossed LRB096 10314 DRJ 20484 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is amended by changing Section 2.07 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2805/2.07) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.07)

Sec. 2.07. The Department shall employ and maintain sufficient and qualified staff at the veterans' homes (i) to fill all beds, subject to appropriation, and (ii) to fulfill the requirements of this Act. The Department shall report to the General Assembly, by January 1 and July 1 of each year, the number of staff employed in providing direct patient care at their veterans' homes, the compliance or noncompliance with staffing standards established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for such care, and in the event of noncompliance with such standards, the number of staff required for compliance. For purposes of this Section, a nurse who has a license application pending with the State shall not be deemed unqualified by the Department if the nurse is in compliance with Section 50-15 of the Nurse Practice Act.

All contracts between the State and outside contractors to provide workers to staff and service the Anna Veterans Home shall be canceled in accordance with the terms of those contracts. Upon cancellation, each worker or staff member shall be offered certified employment status under the Illinois Personnel Code with the State of Illinois. To the extent it is reasonably practicable, the position offered to each person shall be at the same facility and shall consist of the same duties and hours as previously existed under the canceled contract or contracts.

(Source: P.A. 94-703, eff. 6-1-06; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-639, eff. 10-5-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2009.