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Public Act 097-0765
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| SB3671 Enrolled | LRB097 18888 RPM 64126 b |
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is |
amended by changing Sections 2 and 8 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 2805/2) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67)
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Sec. 2. Powers and duties. The Department shall have the |
following
powers and duties:
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To perform such acts at the request of any veteran, or his |
or her spouse,
surviving spouse or dependents as shall be |
reasonably necessary
or reasonably incident to obtaining or |
endeavoring to obtain for the requester
any advantage, benefit |
or emolument accruing or due to such person under
any law of |
the United States, the State of Illinois or any other state or
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governmental agency by reason of the service of such veteran, |
and in pursuance
thereof shall:
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(1) Contact veterans, their survivors and dependents |
and advise them of
the benefits of state and federal laws |
and assist them in obtaining such
benefits;
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(2) Establish field offices and direct the activities |
of the personnel
assigned to such offices;
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(3) Create a volunteer field force of accredited |
representatives,
representing educational institutions, |
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labor organizations, veterans
organizations, employers, |
churches, and farm organizations;
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(4) Conduct informational and training services;
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(5) Conduct educational programs through newspapers, |
periodicals and radio
for the specific purpose of |
disseminating information affecting veterans
and their |
dependents;
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(6) Coordinate the services and activities of all state |
departments having
services and resources affecting |
veterans and their dependents;
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(7) Encourage and assist in the coordination of |
agencies within counties
giving service to veterans and |
their dependents;
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(8) Cooperate with veterans organizations and other |
governmental agencies;
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(9) Make, alter, amend and promulgate reasonable rules |
and procedures for
the administration of this Act;
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(10) Make and publish annual reports to the Governor |
regarding the
administration and general operation of the |
Department;
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(11) (Blank); and |
(12) (Blank). Conduct an annual review of the benefits |
received
by Illinois veterans that compares benefits |
received by Illinois
veterans with the benefits received by |
veterans in all other
states and U.S. territories. The |
required annual review shall include,
but not be limited |
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to, (1) the average benefit paid to individual
veterans |
from Illinois, in direct comparison to the average benefit
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paid to individual veterans of each of the other states and |
U.S.
territories; (2) the number of veterans receiving |
benefits in Illinois
for the first time during the year |
compared to the number of claims
filed by Illinois veterans |
during the year; (3) the aggregate number
of Illinois |
veterans receiving benefits compared to the number
of |
veterans from each of the other states and U.S. territories
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receiving benefits; and (4) a categorical analysis of the |
types
of injuries and disabilities for which benefits are |
being paid
in Illinois and each of the other states and |
U.S. territories.
The benefits review shall be reported to |
the Governor, the
General Assembly, and the Illinois |
Congressional delegation upon
the completion of the report |
each year.
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The Department may accept and hold on behalf of the State, |
if for the
public interest, a grant, gift, devise or bequest of |
money or property to
the Department made for the general |
benefit of Illinois veterans,
including the conduct of |
informational and training services by the Department
and other |
authorized purposes of the Department. The Department shall |
cause
each grant, gift, devise or bequest to be kept as a |
distinct fund and shall
invest such funds in the manner |
provided by the Public Funds Investment Act, as
now or |
hereafter amended, and shall make such reports as may
be |
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required by the Comptroller concerning what funds are so held |
and
the manner in which such funds are invested.
The Department |
may make grants from these funds for the general benefit of
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Illinois veterans. Grants from these funds, except for the |
funds established
under Sections 2.01a and 2.03, shall be |
subject to appropriation.
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The Department has the power to make grants, from funds |
appropriated from
the
Korean War Veterans National Museum and |
Library Fund, to private organizations
for the benefit of the |
Korean War Veterans National Museum and Library.
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The Department has the power to make grants, from funds |
appropriated from the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, for |
benefits authorized under the Survivors Compensation Act.
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(Source: P.A. 97-297, eff. 1-1-12.)
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(20 ILCS 2805/8)
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Sec. 8. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Outpatient |
Counseling Program. Subject to appropriations for that |
purpose, the Department, in consultation with the Department of |
Human Services, shall contract with professional counseling |
specialists to provide a range of confidential counseling and |
direct treatment services to war-affected Southwest Asia |
combat veterans and their family members, and to provide |
additional treatment services to Viet Nam War veterans for |
post-traumatic stress disorder, particularly those Viet Nam |
veterans whose post-traumatic stress disorder has intensified |
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or initially emerged due to the war in the Middle East. Any |
such contracts entered into by the Department 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 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In |
consultation with the Department of Human Services, the |
Department shall, to the extent funds are available: |
(1) develop an educational program designed to inform |
and train primary health care professionals, including |
mental health professionals, about the effects of |
war-related stress and trauma; |
(2) provide informational and counseling services for |
the purpose of establishing and fostering peer-support |
networks throughout the State for families of deployed |
members of the reserves and the Illinois National Guard; |
and |
(3) provide for veterans' families a referral network |
of mental health providers who are skilled in treating |
deployment stress, combat stress, and post-traumatic |
stress. |
As used in this Section, "Southwest Asia combat veteran" |
means an Illinois resident who is, or who was honorably |
discharged as, a member of the Armed Forces of the United |
States, a member of the Illinois National Guard, or a member of |
any reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States |
and who served on active duty in connection with Operation |