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HB5618 Engrossed |
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LRB095 16727 JAM 42761 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 |
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| amended by changing Section 15 as follows:
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| (20 ILCS 2805/15) |
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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 18 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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| (2.5) One member of the Illinois National Guard |
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| appointed by the Adjutant General of the Illinois National |
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| Guard. |
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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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HB5618 Engrossed |
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LRB095 16727 JAM 42761 b |
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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 |
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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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HB5618 Engrossed |
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LRB095 16727 JAM 42761 b |
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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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| (Source: P.A. 93-779, eff. 7-21-04.)
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