SB2844 Enrolled

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    AN ACT in relation to veterans.

 
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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 
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amended  by adding Section 15 as follows:
 
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    (20 ILCS 2805/15  new)
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    Sec. 15. Veterans advisory council.
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    (a) A veterans advisory council shall be established in the 
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State of Illinois.  The council shall consist of at least 17 
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members as follows:
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        (1)  Four members of the General Assembly, appointed one 
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    each by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of 
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    the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
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    and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, 
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    preferably from a legislative or representative district 
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    in which a State-operated veterans home is located.
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        (2)  Six veterans appointed by the Director of Veterans' 
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    Affairs.
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        (3)  One veteran appointed by the commander or president 
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    of each veterans service organization that is chartered by 
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    the federal government and by the State of Illinois and 
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    elects to appoint a member.
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    No member of the council shall be an employee or 
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representative of the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
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    Members of the council shall serve without compensation or 
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reimbursement.
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    (b) At the initial meeting of the council, the members 
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shall elect from among themselves a chairman.  The members shall 
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draw lots to determine the length of their terms so that 9 
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members have terms that expire on July 1, 2005 and the 
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remaining members have terms that expire on July 1, 2006.  
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Thereafter, all members of the council shall be appointed for 
 


 






SB2844 Enrolled
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LRB093 20820 EFG 46744 b




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terms of 2 years.
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    The appointing authority may at any time make an 
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appointment to fill a vacancy for the unexpired term of a 
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member.
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    (c) The council shall meet quarterly or at the call of the 
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chairman or at the call of the Director of Veterans' Affairs or 
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the Governor.  The Department shall provide meeting space and 
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clerical and administrative support services for the council.
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    (d) The council has the power to do the following:

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        (1) Advise the Department of Veterans' Affairs with 
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    respect to the fulfillment of its statutory duties.
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        (2) Review and study the issues and concerns that are 
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    most significant to Illinois veterans and advise the 
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    Department on those issues and concerns.
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        (3) Receive a report from the Director of Veterans' 
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    Affairs or the Director's designee at each meeting with 
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    respect to the general activities of the Department.
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        (4) Report to the Governor and the General Assembly 
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    annually describing the issues addressed and the actions 
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    taken by the council during the year as well as any 
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    recommendations for future action.
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    (e) The council established under this Section replaces any 
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Illinois Veterans Advisory Council established under Executive 
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Order No. 3 (1982).

 

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    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
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2004.