SB0266eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY



 


 
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1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is
5amended by changing Sections 2.01 and 2.04 and by adding
6Section 2.01b as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 2805/2.01)  (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.01)
8    Sec. 2.01. Veterans Home admissions.
9    (a) Any honorably discharged veteran is entitled to
10admission to an Illinois Veterans Home if the applicant meets
11the requirements of this Section.
12    (b) The veteran must:
13        (1) have served in the armed forces of the United
14    States at least 1 day in World War II, the Korean Conflict,
15    the Viet Nam Campaign, or the Persian Gulf Conflict between
16    the dates recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans
17    Affairs or between any other present or future dates
18    recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a
19    war period, or have served in a hostile fire environment
20    and has been awarded a campaign or expeditionary medal
21    signifying his or her service, for purposes of eligibility
22    for domiciliary or nursing home care;
23        (2) have served and been honorably discharged or

 

 

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1    retired from the armed forces of the United States for a
2    service connected disability or injury, for purposes of
3    eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home care;
4        (3) have served as an enlisted person at least 90 days
5    on active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
6    excluding service on active duty for training purposes
7    only, and entered active duty before September 8, 1980, for
8    purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home
9    care;
10        (4) have served as an officer at least 90 days on
11    active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
12    excluding service on active duty for training purposes
13    only, and entered active duty before October 17, 1981, for
14    purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home
15    care;
16        (5) have served on active duty in the armed forces of
17    the United States for 24 months of continuous service or
18    more, excluding active duty for training purposes only, and
19    enlisted after September 7, 1980, for purposes of
20    eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home care;
21        (6) have served as a reservist in the armed forces of
22    the United States or the National Guard and the service
23    included being called to federal active duty, excluding
24    service on active duty for training purposes only, and who
25    completed the term, for purposes of eligibility for
26    domiciliary or nursing home care;

 

 

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1        (7) have been discharged for reasons of hardship or
2    released from active duty due to a reduction in the United
3    States armed forces prior to the completion of the required
4    period of service, regardless of the actual time served,
5    for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home
6    care; or
7        (8) have served in the National Guard or Reserve Forces
8    of the United States and completed 20 years of satisfactory
9    service, be otherwise eligible to receive reserve or active
10    duty retirement benefits, and have been an Illinois
11    resident for at least one year before applying for
12    admission for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary care
13    only.
14    (c) The veteran must have service accredited to the State
15of Illinois or have been a resident of this State for one year
16immediately preceding the date of application.
17    (d) For admission to the Illinois Veterans Homes at Anna
18and Quincy, the veteran must have developed a disability by
19disease, wounds, or otherwise and because of the disability be
20incapable of earning a living.
21    (e) For admission to the Illinois Veterans Homes at
22Chicago, LaSalle, and Manteno, the veteran must have developed
23a disability by disease, wounds, or otherwise and, for purposes
24of eligibility for nursing home care, require nursing care
25because of the disability.
26    (f) An individual who served during a time of conflict as

 

 

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1set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Section
2has preference over all other qualifying candidates, for
3purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home care at
4any Illinois Veterans Home.
5    (g) A veteran or spouse, once admitted to an Illinois
6Veterans Home facility, is considered a resident for
7interfacility purposes.
8(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-314, eff. 8-7-15;
999-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
 
10    (20 ILCS 2805/2.01b new)
11    Sec. 2.01b. Illinois Veterans Home at Chicago. The Illinois
12Veterans Home at Chicago is established. The Department shall
13operate and maintain the Illinois Veterans Home at Chicago.
 
14    (20 ILCS 2805/2.04)  (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.04)
15    Sec. 2.04. There shall be established in the State Treasury
16special funds known as (i) the LaSalle Veterans Home Fund, (ii)
17the Anna Veterans Home Fund, (iii) the Manteno Veterans Home
18Fund, and (iv) the Quincy Veterans Home Fund, and (v) the
19Chicago Veterans Home Fund. All moneys received by an Illinois
20Veterans Home from Medicare and from maintenance charges to
21veterans, spouses, and surviving spouses residing at that Home
22shall be paid into that Home's Fund. All moneys received from
23the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for patient care shall
24be transmitted to the Treasurer of the State for deposit in the

 

 

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1Veterans Home Fund for the Home in which the veteran resides.
2Appropriations shall be made from a Fund only for the needs of
3the Home, including capital improvements, building
4rehabilitation, and repairs. The Chicago Veterans Home Fund
5shall be the Veterans Home Fund for the Illinois Veterans Home
6at Chicago.
7    The administrator of each Veterans Home shall establish a
8locally-held member's benefits fund. The Director may
9authorize the Veterans Home to conduct limited fundraising in
10accordance with applicable laws and regulations for which the
11sole purpose is to benefit the Veterans Home's member's
12benefits fund. Revenues accruing to an Illinois Veterans Home,
13including any donations, grants for the operation of the Home,
14profits from commissary stores, and funds received from any
15individual or other source, including limited fundraising,
16shall be deposited into that Home's benefits fund. Expenditures
17from the benefits funds shall be solely for the special
18comfort, pleasure, and amusement of residents. Contributors of
19unsolicited private donations may specify the purpose for which
20the private donations are to be used.
21    Upon request of the Department, the State's Attorney of the
22county in which a resident or living former resident of an
23Illinois Veterans Home who is liable under this Act for payment
24of sums representing maintenance charges resides shall file an
25action in a court of competent jurisdiction against any such
26person who fails or refuses to pay such sums. The court may

 

 

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1order the payment of sums due to maintenance charges for such
2period or periods of time as the circumstances require.
3    Upon the death of a person who is or has been a resident of
4an Illinois Veterans Home who is liable for maintenance charges
5and who is possessed of property, the Department may present a
6claim for such sum or for the balance due in case less than the
7rate prescribed under this Act has been paid. The claim shall
8be allowed and paid as other lawful claims against the estate.
9    The administrator of each Veterans Home shall establish a
10locally-held trust fund to maintain moneys held for residents.
11Whenever the Department finds it necessary to preserve order,
12preserve health, or enforce discipline, the resident shall
13deposit in a trust account at the Home such monies from any
14source of income as may be determined necessary, and
15disbursement of these funds to the resident shall be made only
16by direction of the administrator.
17    If a resident of an Illinois Veterans Home has a dependent
18child, spouse, or parent the administrator may require that all
19monies received be deposited in a trust account with dependency
20contributions being made at the direction of the administrator.
21The balance retained in the trust account shall be disbursed to
22the resident at the time of discharge from the Home or to his
23or her heirs or legal representative at the time of the
24resident's death, subject to Department regulations or order of
25the court.
26    The Director of Central Management Services, with the

 

 

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1consent of the Director of Veterans' Affairs, is authorized and
2empowered to lease or let any real property held by the
3Department of Veterans' Affairs for an Illinois Veterans Home
4to entities or persons upon terms and conditions which are
5considered to be in the best interest of that Home. The real
6property must not be needed for any direct or immediate purpose
7of the Home. In any leasing or letting, primary consideration
8shall be given to the use of real property for agricultural
9purposes, and all moneys received shall be transmitted to the
10Treasurer of the State for deposit in the appropriate Veterans
11Home Fund.
12(Source: P.A. 99-314, eff. 8-7-15.)
 
13    Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
14Section 5.878 as follows:
 
15    (30 ILCS 105/5.878 new)
16    Sec. 5.878. The Chicago Veterans Home Fund.
 
17    Section 15. The Illinois Library System Act is amended by
18changing Section 8.6 as follows:
 
19    (75 ILCS 10/8.6)
20    Sec. 8.6. Illinois Veteran's Home Libraries. The State
21Librarian shall distribute annual grants for initiatives of
22library development and services within Illinois Veteran's

 

 

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1Home libraries located in Quincy, Manteno, LaSalle, Chicago,
2and Anna upon the approval by the State Librarian of
3application from libraries. Grants made under this Section
4shall be made only from the Secretary of State Special License
5Plate Fund. The State Librarian shall establish the criteria
6for awarding the grants by rule.
7(Source: P.A. 89-697, eff. 1-6-97.)
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.