Public Act 093-0779
 		





SB2844 Enrolled
LRB093 20820 EFG 46744 b






    AN ACT in relation to veterans.

 
    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 15 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2805/15  new)
    Sec. 15. Veterans advisory council.
    (a) A veterans advisory council shall be established in the 
State of Illinois.  The council shall consist of at least 17 
members as follows:
        (1)  Four members of the General Assembly, appointed one 
    each by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of 
    the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
    and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, 
    preferably from a legislative or representative district 
    in which a State-operated veterans home is located.
        (2)  Six veterans appointed by the Director of Veterans' 
    Affairs.
        (3)  One veteran appointed by the commander or president 
    of each veterans service organization that is chartered by 
    the federal government and by the State of Illinois and 
    elects to appoint a member.
    No member of the council shall be an employee or 
representative of the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
    Members of the council shall serve without compensation or 
reimbursement.
    (b) At the initial meeting of the council, the members 
shall elect from among themselves a chairman.  The members shall 
draw lots to determine the length of their terms so that 9 
members have terms that expire on July 1, 2005 and the 
remaining members have terms that expire on July 1, 2006.  
Thereafter, all members of the council shall be appointed for 
terms of 2 years.
    The appointing authority may at any time make an 
appointment to fill a vacancy for the unexpired term of a 
member.
    (c) The council shall meet quarterly or at the call of the 
chairman or at the call of the Director of Veterans' Affairs or 
the Governor.  The Department shall provide meeting space and 
clerical and administrative support services for the council.
    (d) The council has the power to do the following:

        (1) Advise the Department of Veterans' Affairs with 
    respect to the fulfillment of its statutory duties.
        (2) Review and study the issues and concerns that are 
    most significant to Illinois veterans and advise the 
    Department on those issues and concerns.
        (3) Receive a report from the Director of Veterans' 
    Affairs or the Director's designee at each meeting with 
    respect to the general activities of the Department.
        (4) Report to the Governor and the General Assembly 
    annually describing the issues addressed and the actions 
    taken by the council during the year as well as any 
    recommendations for future action.
    (e) The council established under this Section replaces any 
Illinois Veterans Advisory Council established under Executive 
Order No. 3 (1982).

 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
2004.





Effective Date:  7/21/2004