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91_HB2967
LRB9109440MWgc
1 AN ACT to create the Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor
2 Act.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
6 Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor Act.
7 Section 5. Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor. The
8 Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor shall be awarded annually
9 on Veteran's Day to current or former members of the State
10 military forces or the United States armed forces who have
11 voluntarily performed a deed of personal bravery or
12 self-sacrifice involving risk of life that is so conspicuous
13 as to clearly distinguish the person for gallantry and
14 intrepidity above that person's comrades. Awarding of the
15 medal will be considered on the standard of extraordinary
16 merit. The medal may be awarded only on incontestable proof
17 of performance of the deed.
18 Section 10. Recommendations. An individual having
19 personal knowledge of an act, an achievement, or exceptional
20 service warranting the award of the Illinois Legislative
21 Medal of Valor may submit a letter of recommendation to the
22 Adjutant General. The letter of recommendation must give an
23 account of the occurrence of the deed and statements of
24 eyewitnesses, extracts from official records, sketches, maps,
25 diagrams, or photographs to support and amplify the stated
26 facts.
27 Section 15. Procedure for review of recommendations;
28 Panel.
29 (a) The Adjutant General must transmit all letters of
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1 recommendation for the Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor
2 and the supporting documentation for the recommendations to a
3 5-member panel consisting of one member of the public
4 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one
5 member of the public appointed by the President of the
6 Senate, one member of the public appointed by the Minority
7 Leader of the House of Representatives, and one member of the
8 public appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate. The
9 Adjutant General shall be an ex officio member of the panel.
10 The public members of the panel must be veterans of the State
11 military forces or the United States armed forces.
12 (b) The 5-member panel shall establish procedures for
13 submission and review of recommendations. If the panel
14 determines that a case meets the criteria established for
15 awarding of the Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor, the
16 panel shall recommend to the General Assembly the awarding of
17 the medal.
18 Section 20. Award. The Illinois Legislative Medal of
19 Valor may be awarded only on approval of a joint resolution
20 of the General Assembly. The Governor shall confer the medal
21 to the chosen recipient or recipients in a ceremony on
22 Veteran's Day.
23 Section 25. Medal; ribbons; ceremonial plaque. The
24 General Assembly shall commission, through its 5-member
25 panel, the design and production of the Illinois Legislative
26 Medal of Valor, an appropriate ribbon for uniform wear, and a
27 permanent ceremonial plaque that shall be located in a place
28 of honor in the Statehouse Rotunda.
29 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
30 becoming law.
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