HB6123eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  
  

 


 
HB6123 EngrossedLRB099 19687 MJP 44084 b

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 Military Code of Illinois is amended by
5adding Section 93.1 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 1805/93.1 new)
7    Sec. 93.1. Pre-deployment and post-deployment testing. All
8members of the Illinois National Guard shall undergo
9pre-deployment and post-deployment testing for depleted
10uranium. The Department shall cover the costs associated with
11such testing. If a federal law requiring pre-deployment and
12post-deployment testing for depleted uranium for members of the
13National Guard takes effect, then this Section 93.1 shall be
14inoperative on and after the effective date of that federal
15law.
 
16    Section 10. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is
17amended by changing Section 2 as follows:
 
18    (20 ILCS 2805/2)  (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67)
19    Sec. 2. Powers and duties. The Department shall have the
20following powers and duties:
21    To perform such acts at the request of any veteran, or his

 

 

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1or her spouse, surviving spouse or dependents as shall be
2reasonably necessary or reasonably incident to obtaining or
3endeavoring to obtain for the requester any advantage, benefit
4or emolument accruing or due to such person under any law of
5the United States, the State of Illinois or any other state or
6governmental agency by reason of the service of such veteran,
7and in pursuance thereof shall:
8        (1) Contact veterans, their survivors and dependents
9    and advise them of the benefits of state and federal laws
10    and assist them in obtaining such benefits;
11        (2) Establish field offices and direct the activities
12    of the personnel assigned to such offices;
13        (3) Create and maintain a volunteer field force; the
14    volunteer field force may include representatives from the
15    following without limitation: educational institutions,
16    labor organizations, veterans organizations, employers,
17    churches, and farm organizations; the volunteer field
18    force may not process federal veterans assistance claims;
19        (4) Conduct informational and training services;
20        (5) Conduct educational programs through newspapers,
21    periodicals, social media, television, and radio for the
22    specific purpose of disseminating information affecting
23    veterans and their dependents;
24        (6) Coordinate the services and activities of all state
25    departments having services and resources affecting
26    veterans and their dependents;

 

 

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1        (7) Encourage and assist in the coordination of
2    agencies within counties giving service to veterans and
3    their dependents;
4        (8) Cooperate with veterans organizations and other
5    governmental agencies;
6        (9) Make, alter, amend and promulgate reasonable rules
7    and procedures for the administration of this Act;
8        (10) Make and publish annual reports to the Governor
9    regarding the administration and general operation of the
10    Department;
11        (11) (Blank); and
12        (12) (Blank); and .
13        (13) Provide non-monetary assistance to any resident
14    of Illinois who served on active duty in Afghanistan, Iraq,
15    Kuwait, or Qatar with any component of the U.S. Armed
16    Forces, including the Illinois National Guard, who
17    requests a pre-deployment or post-deployment test for
18    depleted uranium in accessing federal resources for
19    pre-deployment and post-deployment testing for depleted
20    uranium; if a federal law requiring pre-deployment and
21    post-deployment testing for depleted uranium for past and
22    present members of any component of the U.S. Armed Forces
23    takes effect, then this paragraph (13) shall be inoperative
24    on and after the effective date of that federal law.
25    The Department may accept and hold on behalf of the State,
26if for the public interest, a grant, gift, devise or bequest of

 

 

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1money or property to the Department made for the general
2benefit of Illinois veterans, including the conduct of
3informational and training services by the Department and other
4authorized purposes of the Department. The Department shall
5cause each grant, gift, devise or bequest to be kept as a
6distinct fund and shall invest such funds in the manner
7provided by the Public Funds Investment Act, as now or
8hereafter amended, and shall make such reports as may be
9required by the Comptroller concerning what funds are so held
10and the manner in which such funds are invested. The Department
11may make grants from these funds for the general benefit of
12Illinois veterans. Grants from these funds, except for the
13funds established under Sections 2.01a and 2.03, shall be
14subject to appropriation.
15    The Department has the power to make grants, from funds
16appropriated from the Korean War Veterans National Museum and
17Library Fund, to private organizations for the benefit of the
18Korean War Veterans National Museum and Library.
19    The Department has the power to make grants, from funds
20appropriated from the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, for
21benefits authorized under the Survivors Compensation Act.
22(Source: P.A. 99-314, eff. 8-7-15.)
 
23    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect June 30,
242017.