Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 101-0225

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Public Act 101-0225

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Public Act 0225 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Public Act 101-0225

HB0120 Enrolled LRB101 02890 RJF 47898 b

    AN ACT concerning 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 adding Section 38 as follows:

    (20 ILCS 2805/38 new)
    Sec. 38. Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force.
    (a) The Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force is
created. The Task Force shall review and make recommendations
regarding veterans' service-related ailments that are not
recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,
including exploring why certain service-related ailments are
not recognized and determining what may be done to have them
recognized.
    Additionally, the Task Force shall assess ways the State of
Illinois can improve the rate at which disability compensation
claims are approved by the federal government and correct the
disparity between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs'
approval of disability compensation for Illinois veterans and
that which is approved for veterans in other states.
    (b) The Task Force shall have 15 members, comprised as
follows:
        (1) The Director of Veterans' Affairs or the Director's
    designee, who shall serve as chairperson.
        (2) 2 Members from the House of Representatives,
    appointed one each by the Speaker of the House and the
    House Minority Leader.
        (3) 2 Members of the Senate, appointed one each by the
    President of the Senate and the Senate Minority Leader.
        (4) One veteran, appointed by the Director of Veterans'
    Affairs.
        (5) One medical professional with experience working
    with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, appointed by
    the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
        (6) 4 representatives from a variety of veterans
    organizations representing geographic diversity in the
    State, appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
        (7) 4 members, one of whom shall be appointed by the
    chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee of the House of
    Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the
    minority spokesperson of the Veterans' Affairs Committee
    of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be
    appointed by the chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee of
    the Senate, and one of whom shall be appointed by the
    minority spokesperson of the Veterans Affairs Committee of
    the Senate. Those appointed to the Task Force under this
    paragraph shall be members of different Illinois counties'
    Veterans Assistance Commissions, Veteran Service Officers,
    and VITAS officials.
    Task Force members shall serve without compensation but may
be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in performing their
duties.
    (c) The Task Force shall meet at least once every 2 months
beginning July 1, 2019, and at other times as determined by the
Task Force.
    (d) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide
administrative and other support to the Task Force.
    (e) The Task Force shall prepare a report that summarizes
its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study.
The Task Force shall submit the report of its findings and
recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by
December 31, 2020. The Task Force is dissolved, and this
Section is repealed, on December 31, 2021.

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/9/2019

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