100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB1242

 

Introduced 2/7/2017, by Sen. Terry Link

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 2805/2  from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67

    Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Provides that the Department of Veterans' Affairs shall assist the superintendent and staff of any Veterans Assistance Commission created under the Military Veterans Assistance Act with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' process of becoming accredited as a service organization representative of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs. Provides that this assistance shall include, but not be limited to, a certifying official of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs certifying with his or her signature on behalf of the superintendent and staff of a Veterans Assistance Commission the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' Application for Accreditation as a Service Organization Representative, and the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs filing the application with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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 Section 2 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2805/2)  (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67)
7    Sec. 2. Powers and duties. The Department shall have the
8following powers and duties:
9    To perform such acts at the request of any veteran, or his
10or her spouse, surviving spouse or dependents as shall be
11reasonably necessary or reasonably incident to obtaining or
12endeavoring to obtain for the requester any advantage, benefit
13or emolument accruing or due to such person under any law of
14the United States, the State of Illinois or any other state or
15governmental agency by reason of the service of such veteran,
16and in pursuance thereof shall:
17        (1) Contact veterans, their survivors and dependents
18    and advise them of the benefits of state and federal laws
19    and assist them in obtaining such benefits;
20        (2) Establish field offices and direct the activities
21    of the personnel assigned to such offices;
22        (3) Create and maintain a volunteer field force; the
23    volunteer field force may include representatives from the

 

 

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1    following without limitation: educational institutions,
2    labor organizations, veterans organizations, employers,
3    churches, and farm organizations; the volunteer field
4    force may not process federal veterans assistance claims;
5        (4) Conduct informational and training services;
6        (5) Conduct educational programs through newspapers,
7    periodicals, social media, television, and radio for the
8    specific purpose of disseminating information affecting
9    veterans and their dependents;
10        (6) Coordinate the services and activities of all state
11    departments having services and resources affecting
12    veterans and their dependents;
13        (7) Encourage and assist in the coordination of
14    agencies within counties giving service to veterans and
15    their dependents;
16        (8) Cooperate with veterans organizations and other
17    governmental agencies;
18        (9) Make, alter, amend and promulgate reasonable rules
19    and procedures for the administration of this Act;
20        (10) Make and publish annual reports to the Governor
21    regarding the administration and general operation of the
22    Department;
23        (11) (Blank); and
24        (12) (Blank); and .
25        (13) Assist the superintendent and staff of any
26    Veterans Assistance Commission, created under the Military

 

 

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1    Veterans Assistance Act, with the process of becoming
2    accredited as a service organization representative of the
3    Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs by the United
4    States Department of Veterans' Affairs; this assistance
5    shall include, but not be limited to: (i) a certifying
6    official of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs
7    certifying, with his or her signature, the United States
8    Department of Veterans Affairs' Application for
9    Accreditation as a Service Organization Representative on
10    behalf of the superintendent and staff of the Veterans
11    Assistance Commission, and (ii) the Illinois Department of
12    Veterans' Affairs filing the Application for Accreditation
13    as a Service Organization Representative with the United
14    States Department of Veterans Affairs.
15    The Department may accept and hold on behalf of the State,
16if for the public interest, a grant, gift, devise or bequest of
17money or property to the Department made for the general
18benefit of Illinois veterans, including the conduct of
19informational and training services by the Department and other
20authorized purposes of the Department. The Department shall
21cause each grant, gift, devise or bequest to be kept as a
22distinct fund and shall invest such funds in the manner
23provided by the Public Funds Investment Act, as now or
24hereafter amended, and shall make such reports as may be
25required by the Comptroller concerning what funds are so held
26and the manner in which such funds are invested. The Department

 

 

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1may make grants from these funds for the general benefit of
2Illinois veterans. Grants from these funds, except for the
3funds established under Sections 2.01a and 2.03, shall be
4subject to appropriation.
5    The Department has the power to make grants, from funds
6appropriated from the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, for
7benefits authorized under the Survivors Compensation Act.
8(Source: P.A. 99-314, eff. 8-7-15; 99-576, eff. 7-15-16.)