VETERANS-TECH Senate SponsorsSen. Dan Kotowski-John M. Sullivan-Gary Forby-Louis S. Viverito-William R. Haine, Jacqueline Y. Collins, M. Maggie Crotty, Deanna Demuzio, Linda Holmes, Gary G. Dahl, Larry K. Bomke, John O. Jones, William E. Peterson, Martin A. Sandoval, Michael Noland, Pamela J. Althoff, Jeffrey M. Schoenberg, Debbie DeFrancesco Halvorson and Antonio Munoz House Sponsors(Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia-Michael P. McAuliffe-Rosemary Mulligan-Elizabeth Coulson-Daniel J. Burke, John E. Bradley, Donald L. Moffitt, Susana A Mendoza, Joseph M. Lyons, John D'Amico, Richard T. Bradley, Jack McGuire, Elizabeth Hernandez, Monique D. Davis, Fred Crespo, Sandy Cole, Patricia R. Bellock, Ruth Munson and Milton Patterson) 8/31/2007SenatePublic Act . . . . . . . . . 95-0576 New ActCreates the Veterans Assistance Act. Contains only a short title provision.Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to:20 ILCS 2805/8 new20 ILCS 2805/9 new35 ILCS 200/15-16535 ILCS 200/15-167 newDeletes everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Veterans' Home Nurses' Loan Repayment Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish a program to award grants of up to $5,000 per year to nurses who commit to working in veterans' homes in Illinois. Sets forth requirements for the program. Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act to establish a post-traumatic stress disorder outpatient counseling program and sets forth requirements for the program. Requires the Department to create a list of honorably discharged veterans who are interested in working on a volunteer basis on projects that restore Illinois' natural habitat. Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a homestead exemption for disabled veterans. Sets forth the amount of the exemption based on the percentage of service-connected disability of the veteran. Provides that the exemption carries over to the benefit of the veteran's surviving spouse. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 In the Veterans' Home Nurses' Loan Repayment Act, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to require (instead of encourage) grant recipients to use the grant to repay educational loans. Makes a technical correction in an introductory clause.House Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to:35 ILCS 200/15-16535 ILCS 200/15-167 newProvides that a grant under the Veterans' Home Nurses' Loan Repayment Act may not exceed $5,000 per recipient per year (instead of $5,000 per year), and makes other changes concerning grants under the Act. Provides that for each year during which an individual receives a grant under the Act, he or she must fulfill a separate 12-month period as a nurse in a State veterans' home (instead of providing that a grant recipient must fulfill such a separate 12-month period for each grant that he or she is awarded). Deletes all provisions amending the Property Tax Code.House Amendment No. 2 Provides that contracts entered into by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs in connection with the post-traumatic stress disorder outpatient counseling program must be with individuals and entities pre-approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and must be for the provision of services pre-approved by that Department.Fiscal Note, House Amendment No. 1 (Illinois Student Assistance Commission) According to the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, the agency anticipates a total direct care headcount for FY 08 of 244 employees. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission does not have information regarding the amount of unpaid educational loans owned by these employees. At maximum, if each of these employees were eligible for the maximum annual grant under the program (i.e., $5,000 per employee), then fully funding the program would cost $1.22 million in FY 08. Several factors suggest that full funding of the program will cost significantly less than the $1.22 million maximum. For instance, the bill does not include language requiring that each eligible applicant receive a full award. Furthermore, not every employee will necessarily have outstanding educational loan debt of $5,000 or more. (For example, licensed practical nurses who attended two-year programs may have significantly less than $5,000 in student loan debt).Fiscal Note, House Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Veterans Affairs) The Department of Veterans' Affairs has included in the FY08 budget request 244 Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse positions for operation of the Veterans' Homes. At a maximum is all 244 budgeted direct care staff were eligible for the $5,000 grant, $1,200,000 would be necessary to fund the Nurse Loan Repayment Program for FY08. Key budget initiatives of the agency include increased headcount and funding to sustain a census of 95 percent of bed capacity at each veterans' home by the end of fiscal year 2009 as well as to staff and fund the 80-bed expansion at the Illinois Veterans' Home in LaSalle. The agency struggles to compete with private industry employers who offer sign-on bonuses for nurses. The nationwide nursing shortage also presents a challenge to the agency to fill direct care positions to provide the mandated minimum hours of care for the residents of our veterans' homes. In order to provide long-term care for our deserving veterans, the agency must recruit and retain direct care staff. 1/31/2007SenateFiled with Secretary by Sen. Emil Jones, Jr. 1/31/2007SenateFirst Reading 1/31/2007SenateReferred to Rules 2/7/2007SenateAssigned to State Government and Veterans Affairs 2/16/2007SenateChief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Dan Kotowski 2/16/2007SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. John M. Sullivan 2/16/2007SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Gary Forby 2/16/2007SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Louis S. Viverito 2/16/2007SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. William R. Haine 2/16/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins 2/22/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. M. Maggie Crotty 2/22/2007SenatePostponed - State Government and Veterans Affairs 3/8/2007SenatePostponed - State Government and Veterans Affairs 3/8/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Deanna Demuzio 3/13/2007SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Dan Kotowski 3/13/2007SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules 3/14/2007SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to State Government and Veterans Affairs 3/14/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Linda Holmes 3/14/2007SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted 3/15/2007SenateDo Pass as Amended State Government and Veterans Affairs; 008-000-000 3/15/2007SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 20, 2007 3/15/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Gary G. Dahl 3/15/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Larry K. Bomke 3/15/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. John O. Jones 3/15/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. William E. Peterson 3/20/2007SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Dan Kotowski 3/20/2007SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules 3/21/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Martin A. Sandoval 3/21/2007SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to State Government and Veterans Affairs 3/21/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael Noland 3/22/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Pamela J. Althoff 3/22/2007SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommend Do Adopt State Government and Veterans Affairs; 008-000-000 3/22/2007SenateSecond Reading 3/22/2007SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted; Kotowski 3/22/2007SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 27, 2007 3/30/2007SenateRule 2-10 Third Reading Deadline Established As May 31, 2007 4/25/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Jeffrey M. Schoenberg 4/25/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Debbie DeFrancesco Halvorson 4/25/2007SenateThird Reading - Passed; 057-000-000 4/25/2007HouseArrived in House 4/25/2007HousePlaced on Calendar Order of First Reading 4/25/2007HouseChief House Sponsor Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia 4/25/2007HouseFirst Reading 4/25/2007HouseReferred to Rules Committee 4/26/2007HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe 4/27/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. John E. Bradley 4/30/2007HouseAssigned to Executive Committee 5/2/2007HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Rosemary Mulligan 5/2/2007HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Coulson 5/15/2007SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Antonio Munoz 5/16/2007HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Daniel J. Burke 5/18/2007HouseCommittee Deadline Extended-Rule 9(b) May 25, 2007 5/22/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Donald L. Moffitt 5/23/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Susana A Mendoza 5/24/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Executive Committee 5/24/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Executive Committee; by Voice Vote 5/24/2007HouseDo Pass as Amended / Short Debate Executive Committee; 012-000-000 5/24/2007HousePlaced on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate 5/25/2007HouseSecond Reading - Short Debate 5/25/2007HousePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate 5/29/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 1 Fiscal Note Requested as Amended by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia 5/29/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Joseph M. Lyons 5/29/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. John D'Amico 5/29/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Richard T. Bradley 5/29/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jack McGuire 5/29/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Rosemary Mulligan 5/29/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee 5/29/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 1 Fiscal Note Filed as Amended 5/30/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 2 Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee; 003-001-000 5/30/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez 5/30/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Monique D. Davis 5/30/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Fred Crespo 5/31/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 1 Fiscal Note Filed as Amended 5/31/2007HouseRecalled to Second Reading - Short Debate 5/31/2007HouseHouse Amendment No. 2 Adopted by Voice Vote 5/31/2007HousePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate 5/31/2007HouseThird Reading - Short Debate - Passed 115-000-000 5/31/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Sandy Cole 5/31/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Patricia R. Bellock 5/31/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Ruth Munson 5/31/2007HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Milton Patterson 5/31/2007SenateSecretary's Desk - Concurrence House Amendment(s) 01,02 5/31/2007SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of Concurrence House Amendment(s) 01,02 - June 1, 2007 5/31/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Dan Kotowski 5/31/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules 5/31/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Dan Kotowski 5/31/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules 6/5/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Rules Referred to State Government and Veterans Affairs 6/5/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Rules Referred to State Government and Veterans Affairs 6/6/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 1 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt State Government and Veterans Affairs; 005-000-004 6/6/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 2 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt State Government and Veterans Affairs; 005-000-004 6/6/2007Senate3/5 Vote Required 6/6/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs 052-000-000 6/6/2007SenateHouse Amendment No. 2 Senate Concurs 052-000-000 6/6/2007SenatePassed Both Houses 7/5/2007SenateSent to the Governor 8/31/2007SenateGovernor Approved 8/31/2007SenateEffective Date August 31, 2007 8/31/2007SenatePublic Act . . . . . . . . . 95-0576