State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB4340ham001

 










                                             LRB9111891STpkam

 1                    AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4340

 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend House Bill 4340 as follows:
 3    by replacing the title with the following:
 4        "AN ACT to amend the Military Code of Illinois by  adding
 5    Article IV-A."; and

 6    by  replacing  everything  after the enacting clause with the
 7    following:

 8        "Section 5. The Military Code of Illinois is  amended  by
 9    adding Article IV-A as follows:

10        (20 ILCS 1805/Art. IV-A heading new)
11               ARTICLE IV-A.  MILITARY FUNERAL HONORS

12        (20 ILCS 1805/28.1 new)
13        Sec.   28.1.  Purpose.   This   Article  establishes  the
14    Illinois Military Funeral Honors Program,  which  ensures  an
15    appropriate  final  tribute  to  deceased veterans and former
16    Governors in the absence of federal military  funeral  honors
17    or  funeral honors provided by veteran organizations, subject
18    to appropriation of adequate funds. This Article  establishes
19    procedures  which ensure this tribute on behalf of a grateful
20    citizenry to honor deceased veterans in recognition of  their
 
                            -2-              LRB9111891STpkam
 1    service  to the State of Illinois and to the United States of
 2    America. The rendering of  military  funeral  honors  is  the
 3    ceremonial  paying  of  respects  and  final demonstration of
 4    gratitude to those who, in  times  of  war  and  peace,  have
 5    faithfully defended freedom.

 6        (20 ILCS 1805/28.2 new)
 7        Sec.   28.2.  Administration.  The  Adjutant  General  of
 8    Illinois, as Director of the Department of Military  Affairs,
 9    shall administer the Military Funeral Honors Program.

10        (20 ILCS 1805/28.3 new)
11        Sec.   28.3.  Provision  of  state  funeral  honors.  The
12    funeral honors entitlement established by this Article may be
13    provided to an eligible veteran only if  (i)  a  request  for
14    military  funeral  honors  has  been  made  on  behalf of the
15    deceased veteran to federal  authorities  and  (ii)  military
16    funeral honors are not to be provided by federal authorities,
17    regardless of the reason.  Former Governors shall be entitled
18    to funeral honors without a federal request.

19        (20 ILCS 1805/28.4 new)
20        Sec.   28.4.  Eligibility.   Only   veterans  and  former
21    Governors are eligible for military funeral honors under this
22    Article.  In  this  Article,  "veteran"  means  an   Illinois
23    resident  who  is  a  veteran as defined in subsection (h) of
24    Section 1491 of Title 10 of the United States  Code.   Former
25    Governors are eligible for military funeral honors because of
26    their service as Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of
27    the State of Illinois.

28        (20 ILCS 1805/28.5 new)
29        Sec. 28.5.  Waiver authority.
30        (a)  With  approval of the Governor, the Adjutant General
 
                            -3-              LRB9111891STpkam
 1    may waive the requirement established in Section 28.3 of this
 2    Article when the Adjutant General determines in writing  that
 3    it  is  in  the best interests of the State of Illinois to do
 4    so.
 5        (b)  Waiver authority under  this  Section  may  only  be
 6    delegated  to  the  Assistant  Adjutant  General  for Army or
 7    Assistant Adjutant General for Air.

 8        (20 ILCS 1805/28.6 new)
 9        Sec. 28.6.  Honors.
10        (a)  A funeral honors detail shall, at a minimum, perform
11    at the funeral a ceremony that includes:  the  folding  of  a
12    United  States flag; its presentation to the appropriate next
13    of kin, family member, or representative; and the playing  of
14    taps.  The funeral honors detail must comprise a minimum of 2
15    uniformed military members and, if available, a bugler.
16        (b)  Additional  elements  of   honors   and   additional
17    uniformed  military  personnel  or other authorized providers
18    may augment the basic honors detail when deemed  appropriate.
19    Authorized providers include veterans organizations and other
20    organizations  and  individuals that support the rendering of
21    funeral honors and who have been trained and approved by  the
22    Adjutant General for that purpose.

23        (20 ILCS 1805/28.7 new)
24        Sec. 28.7.  Policy.
25        (a)  Upon   request   of  the  next  of  kin,  authorized
26    representative, or funeral director on behalf of the next  of
27    kin  of  a  person eligible for military funeral honors under
28    Section 28.4, the Governor as  Commander-in-Chief  may,  with
29    the consent of the member, order members of the Army National
30    Guard  and  Air  National  Guard  to  funeral  honors duty to
31    prepare  for  and  to  perform  military  funeral  honors  as
32    provided in this Article. For this purpose and upon  approval
 
                            -4-              LRB9111891STpkam
 1    of  the  Governor,  the  Adjutant  General  shall, subject to
 2    adequate appropriation, order the appropriate uniformed honor
 3    detail, augmented by other authorized providers, as required,
 4    to attend and render the appropriate services.
 5        (b)  A member of the Army National Guard or Air  National
 6    Guard  may  be  ordered  to funeral honors duty in accordance
 7    with this Article.  That member shall receive an allowance of
 8    $50 for any day on which a minimum  of  2  hours  of  funeral
 9    honors  duty  is performed.  Members of the Illinois National
10    Guard ordered to funeral honors duty in accordance with  this
11    Article  shall  be  considered  in  the active service of the
12    State for all purposes except for pay, and the provisions  of
13    Sections  52,  53,  54,  55,  and  56 of the Military Code of
14    Illinois shall apply in the case of Illinois  National  Guard
15    personnel injured or disabled in the course of those duties.
16        (c)  The  Adjutant  General may provide support for other
17    authorized  providers  who  volunteer  to  participate  in  a
18    funeral honors detail conducted on behalf  of  the  Governor.
19    This  support is limited to transportation, reimbursement for
20    transportation, expenses, materials, and training.

21        (20 ILCS 1805/28.8 new)
22        Sec. 28.8.  Rules. The Adjutant General, as  Director  of
23    the   Department   of   Military   Affairs,  shall  establish
24    appropriate rules to implement this program.

25        (20 ILCS 1805/28.9 new)
26        Sec.  28.9.  Availability  of  funds.  Nothing  in   this
27    Article  shall  establish any entitlement to military funeral
28    honors if  the  Adjutant  General  determines  that  Illinois
29    National  Guard  personnel are not available to perform those
30    honors or if adequate appropriated funds are not available to
31    fund this program.
 
                            -5-              LRB9111891STpkam
 1        Section 99.  Effective date. This  Act  takes  effect  on
 2    January 1, 2001.".

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