HB4868ham002 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Dennis M. Reboletti

Filed: 4/8/2008

09500HB4868ham002 LRB095 14927 RCE 49035 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4868

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4868, AS AMENDED, by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Illinois Lottery Law is amended by adding Section 10.8 as follows:

(20 ILCS 1605/10.8 new)

Sec. 10.8. Specialty retailers. The Division may establish a special classification of retailer license to facilitate the year-round sale of lottery games established by the General Assembly for the benefit of special funds in the State Treasury. The fees set forth in Section 10.2 do not apply to a specialty retailer license. The holder of a specialty retailer license (i) may sell only specialty lottery tickets established for the benefit of special funds in the State Treasury, (ii) is required to purchase those tickets up front at face value from the Illinois Lottery, and (iii) must sell those tickets at face value. Specialty retailers may obtain a refund from the Division for any unsold specialty tickets that they have purchased for resale, as set forth in the specialty retailer agreement. Specialty retailers shall receive a sales commission equal to 2% of the face value of specialty game tickets purchased from the Department, less adjustments for unsold tickets returned to the Lottery for credit. Specialty retailers may not cash winning tickets, but are entitled to a 1% bonus in connection with the sale of a winning specialty game ticket having a prize value of $1,000 or more.

Section 10. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2805/4) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 69)

Sec. 4. Veterans' service officers.

(a) A veterans' service officer shall be assigned to each field office. He must be an honorably discharged veteran from service in the Armed Forces of the United States. He must have served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country, and must meet one or more of the following conditions:

(i) The veteran served a total of at least 6 months.

(ii) The veteran served for the duration of hostilities regardless of the length of engagement.

(iii) The veteran was discharged on the basis of hardship.

(iv) The veteran was released from active duty because of a service connected disability and was discharged under honorable conditions.

As used in this Section, "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.

(b) The duties of veterans' service officers shall include:

(1) assisting veterans and their families in working with federal, State, and local agencies that administer programs for veterans;

(2) assisting veterans in maximizing State and federal benefits that may be available to them;

(3) streamlining the benefit application and awareness process;

(4) coordinating community outreach to promote veterans assistance programs;

(5) promoting the use of veterans advocates in the State and serving as a link between veterans, veterans advocates, and the Department; and

(6) recommending improvements in outreach methods, programs, and training.

Subject to appropriation, the Director of Veterans Affairs shall appoint a Chief Veterans' Service Officer who shall serve at the pleasure of the Director and who shall coordinate the duties and activities of all veterans' service officers assigned to field offices. The Chief Veterans' Service Officer shall also advise senior Department staff regarding the duties and activities of veterans' service officers.

(Source: P.A. 88-275.)".