Full Text of HB1445 97th General Assembly
HB1445 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012 HB1445 Introduced , by Rep. Frank J. Mautino SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: |
| 20 ILCS 2805/1.2 | | 20 ILCS 2805/2 | from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67 | 20 ILCS 2805/2.01 | from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.01 | 20 ILCS 2805/2.04 | from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.04 | 20 ILCS 2805/2.07 | from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.07 | 20 ILCS 2805/7 | | 20 ILCS 2805/2d rep. | | 20 ILCS 2805/2e rep. | | 20 ILCS 2805/2f rep. | | 20 ILCS 2805/10 rep. | | 20 ILCS 2805/30 rep. | |
|
Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Provides that the creation of the Division of Women Veterans Affairs within the Department of Veterans Affairs is subject to appropriations. Removes a provision requiring the Department to encourage the State to implement more programs to address the wide range of issues faced by Persian Gulf War Veterans. Removes references to the John Joseph Kelly Veteran's Home as an Illinois Veterans Home admitting disabled veterans requiring nursing home care. Provides that no later than July 1, 2012 the Veterans' Memorial Commission shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on changes to the Illinois statues to help ensure the long term maintenance and preservation of veterans' memorials. Changes the composition of the Commission by adding one member who represents the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Repeals provisions concerning the National World War II Memorial Fund; the World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial Fund; the capacity of the LaSalle Veterans Home; and the task force on Servicemember and Veterans Education.
|
| |
| | | FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY | |
| | A BILL FOR |
|
| | | HB1445 | | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | AN ACT concerning State government.
| 2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| 3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
| 4 | | Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is | 5 | | amended by changing Sections 1.2, 2, 2.01, 2.04, 2.07, and 7 as | 6 | | follows: | 7 | | (20 ILCS 2805/1.2) | 8 | | Sec. 1.2. Division of Women Veterans Affairs. Subject to | 9 | | appropriations for this purpose, the The Division of Women | 10 | | Veterans Affairs is created as a Division within the | 11 | | Department. The head of the Division shall serve as an | 12 | | Assistant Director of Veterans' Affairs. The Division shall | 13 | | serve as an advocate for women veterans, in recognition of the | 14 | | unique issues facing women veterans. The Division shall assess | 15 | | the needs of women veterans with respect to issues including, | 16 | | but not limited to, compensation, rehabilitation, outreach, | 17 | | health care, and issues facing women veterans in the community. | 18 | | The Division shall review the Department's programs, | 19 | | activities, research projects, and other initiatives designed | 20 | | to meet the needs of women veterans and shall make | 21 | | recommendations to the Director of Veterans' Affairs | 22 | | concerning ways to improve, modify, and effect change in | 23 | | programs and services for women veterans.
|
| | | HB1445 | - 2 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | (Source: P.A. 96-94, eff. 7-27-09.)
| 2 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67)
| 3 | | Sec. 2. Powers and duties. The Department shall have the | 4 | | following
powers and duties:
| 5 | | To perform such acts at the request of any veteran, or his | 6 | | or her spouse,
surviving spouse or dependents as shall be | 7 | | reasonably necessary
or reasonably incident to obtaining or | 8 | | endeavoring to obtain for the requester
any advantage, benefit | 9 | | or emolument accruing or due to such person under
any law of | 10 | | the United States, the State of Illinois or any other state or
| 11 | | governmental agency by reason of the service of such veteran, | 12 | | and in pursuance
thereof shall:
| 13 | | (1) Contact veterans, their survivors and dependents | 14 | | and advise them of
the benefits of state and federal laws | 15 | | and assist them in obtaining such
benefits;
| 16 | | (2) Establish field offices and direct the activities | 17 | | of the personnel
assigned to such offices;
| 18 | | (3) Create a volunteer field force of accredited | 19 | | representatives,
representing educational institutions, | 20 | | labor organizations, veterans
organizations, employers, | 21 | | churches, and farm organizations;
| 22 | | (4) Conduct informational and training services;
| 23 | | (5) Conduct educational programs through newspapers, | 24 | | periodicals and radio
for the specific purpose of | 25 | | disseminating information affecting veterans
and their |
| | | HB1445 | - 3 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | dependents;
| 2 | | (6) Coordinate the services and activities of all state | 3 | | departments having
services and resources affecting | 4 | | veterans and their dependents;
| 5 | | (7) Encourage and assist in the coordination of | 6 | | agencies within counties
giving service to veterans and | 7 | | their dependents;
| 8 | | (8) Cooperate with veterans organizations and other | 9 | | governmental agencies;
| 10 | | (9) Make, alter, amend and promulgate reasonable rules | 11 | | and procedures for
the administration of this Act;
| 12 | | (10) Make and publish annual reports to the Governor | 13 | | regarding the
administration and general operation of the | 14 | | Department;
| 15 | | (11) (Blank) Encourage the State to implement more | 16 | | programs to address the wide
range of issues faced by | 17 | | Persian Gulf War Veterans, especially those who took
part | 18 | | in combat, by creating an official commission to further | 19 | | study Persian
Gulf War Diseases.
The commission shall | 20 | | consist of 9 members appointed as follows: the Speaker
and | 21 | | Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the | 22 | | President and
Minority Leader of the Senate shall each | 23 | | appoint one member from the General
Assembly, the
Governor | 24 | | shall appoint 4 members to represent veterans' | 25 | | organizations, and the
Department shall appoint one | 26 | | member. The commission members shall serve
without |
| | | HB1445 | - 4 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | compensation ; and | 2 | | (12) Conduct an annual review of the benefits received
| 3 | | by Illinois veterans that compares benefits received by | 4 | | Illinois
veterans with the benefits received by veterans in | 5 | | all other
states and U.S. territories. The required annual | 6 | | review shall include,
but not be limited to, (1) the | 7 | | average benefit paid to individual
veterans from Illinois, | 8 | | in direct comparison to the average benefit
paid to | 9 | | individual veterans of each of the other states and U.S.
| 10 | | territories; (2) the number of veterans receiving benefits | 11 | | in Illinois
for the first time during the year compared to | 12 | | the number of claims
filed by Illinois veterans during the | 13 | | year; (3) the aggregate number
of Illinois veterans | 14 | | receiving benefits compared to the number
of veterans from | 15 | | each of the other states and U.S. territories
receiving | 16 | | benefits; and (4) a categorical analysis of the types
of | 17 | | injuries and disabilities for which benefits are being paid
| 18 | | in Illinois and each of the other states and U.S. | 19 | | territories.
The benefits review shall be reported to the | 20 | | Governor, the
General Assembly, and the Illinois | 21 | | Congressional delegation upon
the completion of the report | 22 | | each year.
| 23 | | The Department may accept and hold on behalf of the State, | 24 | | if for the
public interest, a grant, gift, devise or bequest of | 25 | | money or property to
the Department made for the general | 26 | | benefit of Illinois veterans,
including the conduct of |
| | | HB1445 | - 5 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | informational and training services by the Department
and other | 2 | | authorized purposes of the Department. The Department shall | 3 | | cause
each grant, gift, devise or bequest to be kept as a | 4 | | distinct fund and shall
invest such funds in the manner | 5 | | provided by the Public Funds Investment Act, as
now or | 6 | | hereafter amended, and shall make such reports as may
be | 7 | | required by the Comptroller concerning what funds are so held | 8 | | and
the manner in which such funds are invested.
The Department | 9 | | may make grants from these funds for the general benefit of
| 10 | | Illinois veterans. Grants from these funds, except for the | 11 | | funds established
under Sections 2.01a and 2.03, shall be | 12 | | subject to appropriation.
| 13 | | The Department has the power to make grants, from funds | 14 | | appropriated from
the
Korean War Veterans National Museum and | 15 | | Library Fund, to private organizations
for the benefit of the | 16 | | Korean War Veterans National Museum and Library.
| 17 | | The Department has the power to make grants, from funds | 18 | | appropriated from the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, for | 19 | | benefits authorized under the Survivors Compensation Act.
| 20 | | (Source: P.A. 93-839, eff. 7-30-04; 94-167, eff. 1-1-06.)
| 21 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2.01) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.01)
| 22 | | Sec. 2.01. Veterans Home admissions.
| 23 | | (a) Any honorably discharged veteran
is entitled to | 24 | | admission to an Illinois
Veterans Home if the applicant meets | 25 | | the requirements of this Section.
|
| | | HB1445 | - 6 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | (b)
The veteran must: | 2 | | (1) have served in the armed forces of the United States | 3 | | at least
1 day in World War II, the Korean
Conflict, the | 4 | | Viet Nam Campaign, or the Persian Gulf Conflict
between the | 5 | | dates recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 6 | | or
between any other present or future dates recognized by | 7 | | the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs as a war period, or | 8 | | have served in a hostile fire
environment and has been | 9 | | awarded a campaign or expeditionary medal
signifying his or | 10 | | her service,
for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or
| 11 | | nursing home care; | 12 | | (2) have served and been honorably discharged or | 13 | | retired from the armed forces of the United States for a | 14 | | service connected disability or injury, for purposes of | 15 | | eligibility for domiciliary or
nursing home care; | 16 | | (3) have served as an enlisted person at least 90 days | 17 | | on active duty in the armed forces of the United States, | 18 | | excluding service on active duty for training purposes | 19 | | only, and entered active duty before September 8, 1980, for | 20 | | purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or
nursing home | 21 | | care; | 22 | | (4) have served as an officer at least 90 days on | 23 | | active duty in the armed forces of the United States, | 24 | | excluding service on active duty for training purposes | 25 | | only, and entered active duty before October 17, 1981, for | 26 | | purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or
nursing home |
| | | HB1445 | - 7 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | care; | 2 | | (5) have served on active duty in the armed forces of | 3 | | the United States for 24 months of continuous service or | 4 | | more, excluding active duty for training purposes only, and | 5 | | enlisted after September 7, 1980, for purposes of | 6 | | eligibility for domiciliary or
nursing home care; | 7 | | (6) have served as a reservist in the armed forces of | 8 | | the United States or the National Guard and the service | 9 | | included being called to federal active duty, excluding | 10 | | service on active duty for training purposes only, and who | 11 | | completed the term,
for purposes of eligibility for | 12 | | domiciliary or nursing home care;
| 13 | | (7) have been discharged for reasons of hardship or | 14 | | released from active duty due to a reduction in the United | 15 | | States armed forces prior to the completion of the required | 16 | | period of service, regardless of the actual time served, | 17 | | for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home | 18 | | care; or
| 19 | | (8) have served in the National Guard or Reserve Forces | 20 | | of the
United States and completed 20 years of satisfactory | 21 | | service, be
otherwise eligible to receive reserve or active | 22 | | duty retirement
benefits, and have been an Illinois | 23 | | resident for at least one year
before applying for | 24 | | admission for purposes of eligibility
for domiciliary care | 25 | | only.
| 26 | | (c) The veteran must have service accredited to the State |
| | | HB1445 | - 8 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | of Illinois or
have been a resident of this State for one year | 2 | | immediately
preceding the date of application.
| 3 | | (d) For admission to the Illinois Veterans Homes at Anna | 4 | | and
Quincy, the veteran must be disabled by disease, wounds, or | 5 | | otherwise and because
of the disability be incapable of earning | 6 | | a living.
| 7 | | (e) For admission to the Illinois Veterans Homes at LaSalle | 8 | | and Manteno
and for admission to the John Joseph Kelly | 9 | | Veteran's Home ,
the veteran must be disabled by disease, | 10 | | wounds, or otherwise and, for purposes of eligibility
for | 11 | | nursing home care, require nursing care because of the | 12 | | disability. | 13 | | (f) An individual who served during a time of conflict as | 14 | | set forth in subsection (a)(1) of this Section has preference | 15 | | over all other qualifying candidates, for purposes of | 16 | | eligibility for domiciliary or
nursing home care at any | 17 | | Illinois Veterans Home.
| 18 | | (Source: P.A. 94-588, eff. 8-15-05.)
| 19 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2.04) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.04)
| 20 | | Sec. 2.04.
There shall be established in the State Treasury | 21 | | special funds
known as (i) the LaSalle Veterans Home Fund, (ii) | 22 | | the Anna Veterans Home Fund,
(iii) the Manteno Veterans Home | 23 | | Fund, and (iv) the Quincy Veterans Home
Fund , and (v) the John | 24 | | Joseph Kelly Home Fund .
All moneys received by an Illinois | 25 | | Veterans Home from Medicare and from
maintenance charges to |
| | | HB1445 | - 9 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | veterans, spouses, and surviving spouses residing at
that Home | 2 | | shall be paid into that Home's Fund. All moneys
received from | 3 | | the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for patient care shall | 4 | | be transmitted to
the Treasurer of the State for deposit in the | 5 | | Veterans Home Fund for the Home
in which the veteran resides. | 6 | | Appropriations shall be made from a Fund only
for the needs of | 7 | | the Home, including capital improvements, building
| 8 | | rehabilitation, and repairs.
| 9 | | The administrator of each Veterans Home shall establish a
| 10 | | locally-held
member's benefits fund. Revenues accruing to an | 11 | | Illinois Veterans Home,
including any donations, grants for the | 12 | | operation of the Home, profits from
commissary stores, and | 13 | | funds received from any individual or other source,
shall be | 14 | | deposited into that Home's benefits fund. Expenditures from the | 15 | | benefits funds
shall
be solely for the special comfort, | 16 | | pleasure, and amusement of residents.
Contributors of | 17 | | unsolicited private donations may specify the purpose for which
| 18 | | the private donations are to be used.
| 19 | | Upon request of the Department, the State's Attorney of the | 20 | | county in which
a resident or living former resident of an | 21 | | Illinois Veterans Home
who is liable under this Act
for payment | 22 | | of sums representing maintenance charges resides shall file
an | 23 | | action in a court of competent jurisdiction against any such | 24 | | person who
fails or refuses to pay such sums. The court may | 25 | | order the payment of sums
due to maintenance charges for such | 26 | | period or periods of time as the
circumstances require.
|
| | | HB1445 | - 10 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | Upon the death of a person who is or has been a resident of | 2 | | an
Illinois Veterans Home who is
liable for maintenance charges | 3 | | and who is possessed of property, the
Department may present a | 4 | | claim for such sum or for the balance due in
case less than the | 5 | | rate prescribed under this Act has been paid. The
claim shall | 6 | | be allowed and paid as other lawful claims against the estate.
| 7 | | The administrator of each Veterans Home shall establish a
| 8 | | locally-held
trust fund to maintain moneys held for residents. | 9 | | Whenever the Department
finds it necessary to preserve order,
| 10 | | preserve health, or enforce discipline, the resident shall | 11 | | deposit in a
trust account at the Home such monies from any | 12 | | source of income as may
be determined necessary, and | 13 | | disbursement of these funds to the resident
shall be made only | 14 | | by direction of the administrator.
| 15 | | If a resident of an Illinois Veterans Home has a
dependent | 16 | | child, spouse, or parent the administrator may
require that all | 17 | | monies
received be deposited in a trust account with dependency | 18 | | contributions
being made at the direction of the administrator. | 19 | | The balance retained
in the trust account shall be disbursed to | 20 | | the resident at the time of
discharge from the Home or to his | 21 | | or her heirs or legal representative
at the time of the | 22 | | resident's death, subject to Department regulations
or order of | 23 | | the court.
| 24 | | The Director of Central Management Services, with the
| 25 | | consent of the Director of Veterans' Affairs, is authorized
and | 26 | | empowered to lease or let any real property held by the |
| | | HB1445 | - 11 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | Department of
Veterans' Affairs for an Illinois Veterans Home | 2 | | to entities or
persons upon terms and conditions which are | 3 | | considered to be in the best
interest of that Home. The real | 4 | | property must not be needed for any direct
or immediate purpose | 5 | | of the Home. In any leasing or letting, primary
consideration | 6 | | shall be given to the use of real property for agricultural
| 7 | | purposes, and all moneys received shall be transmitted to the | 8 | | Treasurer of
the State for deposit in the appropriate Veterans | 9 | | Home Fund.
| 10 | | (Source: P.A. 91-634, eff. 8-19-99; 92-671, eff. 7-16-02.)
| 11 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2.07) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.07)
| 12 | | Sec. 2.07. The Department shall employ and maintain | 13 | | sufficient and
qualified staff at the veterans' homes (i) to | 14 | | fill all beds, subject to appropriation, and (ii) to
fulfill | 15 | | the requirements of this Act. The Department shall report to
| 16 | | the General Assembly, by January 1 and July 1 of each year, the | 17 | | number of
staff employed in providing direct patient care at | 18 | | their veterans' homes,
the compliance or noncompliance with | 19 | | staffing standards established by the
United States Department | 20 | | of Veterans Affairs for
such care, and in the event of
| 21 | | noncompliance with such standards, the number of staff required | 22 | | for compliance. For purposes of this Section, a nurse who has a | 23 | | license application pending with the State shall not be deemed | 24 | | unqualified by the Department if the nurse is in compliance | 25 | | with Section 50-15 of the Nurse Practice Act.
|
| | | HB1445 | - 12 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | All contracts between the State and outside contractors to | 2 | | provide workers
to
staff and service
the Anna
Veterans Home | 3 | | shall be canceled in accordance with the terms of those
| 4 | | contracts. Upon
cancellation, each
worker or staff member shall | 5 | | be offered certified employment status under the
Illinois
| 6 | | Personnel Code with the State of Illinois.
To the extent it is | 7 | | reasonably practicable, the position offered to each person
| 8 | | shall be at the
same facility and
shall
consist of the same | 9 | | duties and hours as previously existed under the
canceled
| 10 | | contract or contracts.
| 11 | | (Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-639, eff. 10-5-07; | 12 | | 95-876, eff. 8-21-08; 96-699, eff. 8-25-09.)
| 13 | | (20 ILCS 2805/7) | 14 | | Sec. 7. Veterans' Memorial Commission. The Veterans' | 15 | | Memorial Commission is created within the Department. No later | 16 | | than July 1, 2012 the The Commission shall make recommendations | 17 | | to the Governor and the General Assembly on changes to the | 18 | | Illinois statutes to help ensure the long term maintenance and | 19 | | preservation of veterans' memorials. gather information on | 20 | | memorial preservation and management and advise State and local | 21 | | governments and other entities in the creation, custody, care, | 22 | | and upkeep of veterans' memorials. The Commission shall conduct | 23 | | studies and make reports regarding the various laws and rules | 24 | | affecting veteran's memorials to determine whether | 25 | | consolidation or other changes in the laws or rules are needed |
| | | HB1445 | - 13 - | LRB097 06017 KTG 46088 b |
|
| 1 | | to facilitate memorial preservation and to raise awareness of | 2 | | issues affecting veterans' memorials. The Commission shall be | 3 | | composed of 13 12 members as follows: 2 members appointed by | 4 | | the President of the Senate, 2 members appointed by the | 5 | | Minority Leader of the Senate, 2 members appointed by the | 6 | | Speaker of the House of Representatives, 2 members appointed by | 7 | | the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, one | 8 | | representative of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 3 | 9 | | representatives of different veterans service organizations | 10 | | appointed by the Director of the Department , and one | 11 | | representative of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency . | 12 | | Members shall serve 2-year terms, without compensation. This | 13 | | Section shall be repealed on July 1, 2012.
| 14 | | (Source: P.A. 94-448, eff. 8-4-05.)
| 15 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2d rep.)
| 16 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2e rep.)
| 17 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2f rep.)
| 18 | | (20 ILCS 2805/10 rep.)
| 19 | | (20 ILCS 2805/30 rep.) | 20 | | Section 10. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is | 21 | | amended by repealing Sections 2d, 2e, 2f, 10, and 30.
|
|