SB3077 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 19225 BDA 32671 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3077

Introduced 1/29/2026, by Sen. Darby A. Hills

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 415/8b.7	from Ch. 127, par. 63b108b.7
330 ILCS 45/1	from Ch. 23, par. 3081
330 ILCS 45/2	from Ch. 23, par. 3082

Amends the Personnel Code. Provides that a veteran is qualified for a preference of 5 points if the veteran served in active service for a total consecutive or non-consecutive period of at least 3 years, including as a member of the Illinois National Guard in service to the State of Illinois and including for training or other purposes. Adds definitions. Amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act. Expands the scope of the Act to provide necessary assistance and services to military veterans who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and active or former members of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States (rather than military veterans who served in the Armed Forces of the United States). Adds a definition.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Personnel Code is amended by changing Section 8b.7 as follows:

(20 ILCS 415/8b.7) (from Ch. 127, par. 63b108b.7)

Sec. 8b.7. Veteran preference. For the granting of appropriate preference to qualified veterans, persons who have been members of the armed forces of the United States or to qualified persons who, while citizens of the United States, were members of the armed forces of allies of the United States in time of hostilities with a foreign country, and to certain other persons as set forth in this Section.

(a) As used in this Section:

(1) "Time of hostilities with a foreign country" means any period of time in the past, present, or future during which a declaration of war by the United States Congress has been or is in effect or during which an emergency condition has been or is in effect that is recognized by the issuance of a Presidential proclamation or a Presidential executive order and in which the armed forces expeditionary medal or other campaign service medals are awarded according to Presidential executive order.

(2) "Armed forces of the United States" means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Service in the Merchant Marine that constitutes active duty under Section 401 of federal Public Law 95-202 shall also be considered service in the Armed Forces of the United States for purposes of this Section.

(3) "Veteran" means a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Illinois National Guard, or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States.

(4) "Active service" means full-time service as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Illinois National Guard, or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States. "Active service" includes full-time service as a member of the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States for active duty training, inactive duty training, or other purposes. "Active service" also includes full-time service as a member of the Illinois National Guard in service to the State of Illinois.

(5) "Full-time service" means any duty, service, or employment as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Illinois National Guard, or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States for at least 6 hours in a day or at least 30 hours in a week.

(b) The preference granted under this Section shall be in the form of points, or the equivalent, added to the applicable scores of the persons if they otherwise qualify and are entitled to be considered for appointment.

(c) A veteran is qualified for a preference of 10 points if the veteran currently holds proof of a service connected disability from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or an allied country or if the veteran is a recipient of the Purple Heart.

(d) A veteran who has served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country is qualified for a preference of 5 points if the veteran served under one or more of the following conditions:

(1) the The veteran served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country for a total of at least 6 months; , or

(2) the The veteran served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country for the duration of hostilities regardless of the length of engagement; , or

(3) the The veteran served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country and was discharged on the basis of hardship; , or

(4) the The veteran served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country and was released from active duty because of a service connected disability and was discharged under honorable conditions; or

(5) the veteran served in active service for a total consecutive or non-consecutive period of at least 3 years or 1,095 days.

(e) A person not eligible for a preference under subsection (c) or (d) is qualified for a preference of 3 points if the person has served in the armed forces of the United States, the Illinois National Guard, or any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States if the person: (1) served for at least 6 months and has been discharged under honorable conditions; (2) has been discharged on the ground of hardship; (3) was released from active duty because of a service connected disability; or (4) served a minimum of 4 years in the Illinois National Guard or reserve component of the armed forces of the United States regardless of whether or not the person was mobilized to active duty. An active member of the National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States is eligible for the preference if the member meets the service requirements of this subsection (e).

(f) The augmented ratings shall be used when determining the rank order of persons to be appointed.

(g) Employees in positions covered by jurisdiction B who, while in good standing, leave to engage in military service during a period of hostility, shall be given credit for seniority purposes for time served in the armed forces.

(h) A surviving unremarried spouse of a veteran who suffered a service connected death or the spouse of a veteran who suffered a service connected disability that prevents the veteran from qualifying for civil service employment shall be entitled to the same preference to which the veteran would have been entitled under this Section.

(i) A preference shall also be given to the following individuals: 10 points for one parent of an unmarried veteran who suffered a service connected death or a service connected disability that prevents the veteran from qualifying for civil service employment. The first parent to receive a civil service appointment shall be the parent entitled to the preference.

(j) The Department of Central Management Services shall adopt rules and implement procedures to verify that any person seeking a preference under this Section is entitled to the preference. A person seeking a preference under this Section shall provide documentation or execute any consents or other documents required by the Department of Central Management Services or any other State department or agency to enable the department or agency to verify that the person is entitled to the preference.

(k) If an applicant claims to be a veteran, the Department of Central Management Services must verify that status before granting a veteran preference by requiring a certified copy of the applicant's most recent DD214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), NGB-22 (Proof of National Guard Service), or other evidence of the applicant's most recent honorable discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States that is determined to be acceptable by the Department of Central Management Services.

(Source: P.A. 103-108, eff. 6-27-23; 103-746, eff. 1-1-25.)

Section 10. The Military Veterans Assistance Act is amended by changing Sections 1 and 2 as follows:

(330 ILCS 45/1) (from Ch. 23, par. 3081)

Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Military veteran" means an Illinois resident who meets one or more of the following:

(1) served on active duty with the armed forces of the United States and whose last discharge from the service was honorable or general under honorable conditions;

(2) was discharged or released from active duty with the armed forces of the United States because of a service-connected disability; or

(3) is an active or former member of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and who, if applicable, was discharged or separated under conditions other than dishonorable.

"Veteran service organization" means a post, ship, camp, chapter, or detachment of a congressionally chartered or state chartered organization that (i) is formed by and for veterans, (ii) has a paid membership of at least 15 individuals, and (iii) provides responsible aid, assistance, or services to the veteran community.

"Administrator of military veterans assistance" means the commanders of the various veteran service organizations, the superintendent of a County Veterans Assistance Commission, or other persons whose duty it is, under the existing statutes, to care for, relieve or maintain, wholly or in part, any person who may be entitled to such assistance under the statutes of the State of Illinois. This Act shall not infringe upon the mandated powers and authorities vested in the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

(Source: P.A. 104-234, eff. 8-15-25.)

(330 ILCS 45/2) (from Ch. 23, par. 3082)

Sec. 2. The purpose of this Act is, in part, to provide, in accordance with this Section, just and necessary assistance and services to military veterans who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, including active or former members of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and whose last discharge from the service was honorable or general under honorable conditions, to their families, and to the families of deceased veterans with service who need such assistance and services. The following actions shall be taken in support of that purpose:

(1) The supervisor of general assistance or the county board shall provide such sums of money as may be just and necessary to be drawn by the commander, quartermaster or commandant of any veterans service organization, in the city or town, or the superintendent of any Veterans' Assistance Commission of the county, upon the recommendation of the assistance committee of that veterans service organization or Veterans' Assistance Commission.

(A) Funding for Veterans Assistance Commissions may be derived from 3 sources, if applicable:

(i) a tax levied under Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code and Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code;

(ii) funds from the county general corporate fund; and

(iii) State funds from the Department of Human Services.

(B) The minimum amount to be provided annually to Veterans Assistance Commissions is provided in Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code, unless the delegates of the County Veterans Assistance Commission determine that a lesser amount covers the just and necessary sums.

(2) If any supervisor of general assistance or county board fails or refuses after such recommendation to provide just and necessary sums of money for such assistance, then the veteran service organization or the superintendent of any Veterans' Assistance Commission located in the district of such supervisor of general assistance or such county board shall apply to the circuit court of the district or county for relief by mandamus upon the supervisor of general assistance or county board requiring him, her or it to pay, or to appropriate and pay such sums of money, and upon proof made of the justice and necessity of the claim, the circuit court shall grant the sums so requested.

(3) Such sums of money shall be drawn in the manner now provided under Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code and Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Orders of commanders, quartermasters, commandants, or superintendents of those veterans service organizations or those Veterans' Assistance Commissions shall be proper warrants for the expenditure of such sums of money.

(Source: P.A. 102-732, eff. 1-1-23; 102-1132, eff. 2-10-23.)