102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB5359

 

Introduced 1/31/2022, by Rep. Randy E. Frese

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 2805/2.01  from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.01

    Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that a veteran is entitled to admission to an Illinois Veterans Home if he or she has served in the National Guard or Reserve Forces of the United States and completed 20 years of satisfactory service, is otherwise eligible to receive reserve or active duty retirement benefits, and has been an Illinois resident for at least one year before applying for admission for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary care or nursing home care (currently, only domiciliary care). Effective immediately.


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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 2.01 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2805/2.01)  (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.01)
7    Sec. 2.01. Veterans Home admissions.
8    (a) Any honorably discharged veteran is entitled to
9admission to an Illinois Veterans Home if the applicant meets
10the requirements of this Section.
11    (b) The veteran must:
12        (1) have served in the armed forces of the United
13    States at least 1 day in World War II, the Korean Conflict,
14    the Viet Nam Campaign, or the Persian Gulf Conflict
15    between the dates recognized by the U.S. Department of
16    Veterans Affairs or between any other present or future
17    dates recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans
18    Affairs as a war period, or have served in a hostile fire
19    environment and has been awarded a campaign or
20    expeditionary medal signifying his or her service, for
21    purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home
22    care;
23        (2) have served and been honorably discharged or

 

 

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1    retired from the armed forces of the United States for a
2    service connected disability or injury, for purposes of
3    eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home care;
4        (3) have served as an enlisted person at least 90 days
5    on active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
6    excluding service on active duty for training purposes
7    only, and entered active duty before September 8, 1980,
8    for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing
9    home care;
10        (4) have served as an officer at least 90 days on
11    active duty in the armed forces of the United States,
12    excluding service on active duty for training purposes
13    only, and entered active duty before October 17, 1981, for
14    purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home
15    care;
16        (5) have served on active duty in the armed forces of
17    the United States for 24 months of continuous service or
18    more, excluding active duty for training purposes only,
19    and enlisted after September 7, 1980, for purposes of
20    eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home care;
21        (6) have served as a reservist in the armed forces of
22    the United States or the National Guard and the service
23    included being called to federal active duty, excluding
24    service on active duty for training purposes only, and who
25    completed the term, for purposes of eligibility for
26    domiciliary or nursing home care;

 

 

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1        (7) have been discharged for reasons of hardship or
2    released from active duty due to a reduction in the United
3    States armed forces prior to the completion of the
4    required period of service, regardless of the actual time
5    served, for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or
6    nursing home care; or
7        (8) have served in the National Guard or Reserve
8    Forces of the United States and completed 20 years of
9    satisfactory service, be otherwise eligible to receive
10    reserve or active duty retirement benefits, and have been
11    an Illinois resident for at least one year before applying
12    for admission for purposes of eligibility for domiciliary
13    care or nursing home care only.
14    (c) The veteran must have service accredited to the State
15of Illinois or have been a resident of this State for one year
16immediately preceding the date of application.
17    (d) For admission to the Illinois Veterans Homes at Anna
18and Quincy, the veteran must have developed a disability by
19disease, wounds, or otherwise and because of the disability be
20incapable of earning a living.
21    (e) For admission to the Illinois Veterans Homes at
22Chicago, LaSalle, and Manteno, the veteran must have developed
23a disability by disease, wounds, or otherwise and, for
24purposes of eligibility for nursing home care, require nursing
25care because of the disability.
26    (f) An individual who served during a time of conflict as

 

 

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1set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Section
2has preference over all other qualifying candidates, for
3purposes of eligibility for domiciliary or nursing home care
4at any Illinois Veterans Home.
5    (g) A veteran or spouse, once admitted to an Illinois
6Veterans Home facility, is considered a resident for
7interfacility purposes.
8    (h) A non-veteran spouse shall only have the same priority
9for admission to a Veterans Home as a veteran if the
10non-veteran spouse and his or her veteran spouse are admitted
11at the same time to live together at the Veterans Home.
12(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-314, eff. 8-7-15;
1399-642, eff. 7-28-16; 100-392, eff. 8-25-17; 100-942, eff.
141-1-19.)
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.