Sen. Pamela J. Althoff
Filed: 4/28/2009
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1 | AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 22
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2 | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 22 on page 1, by | ||||||
3 | inserting after line 1 the following:
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4 | "WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is dedicated to the urgent | ||||||
5 | task of strengthening and expediting the national defense under | ||||||
6 | the emergent conditions which are threatening the peace and | ||||||
7 | security of this nation; and | ||||||
8 | WHEREAS, It is the considered judgment of the General | ||||||
9 | Assembly that the citizens of Illinois who respond to their | ||||||
10 | country's call to service are deserving of every benefit and | ||||||
11 | protection; and | ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, It is imperative that State government recognize | ||||||
13 | the State's citizens who have made the ultimate sacrifice to | ||||||
14 | protect the peace and security of this nation; and | ||||||
15 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Court of Claims should be equipped to |
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1 | provide for and assist the survivors of fallen service members | ||||||
2 | by increasing accessibility to the Court of Claims and | ||||||
3 | providing outreach services to the community, which will serve | ||||||
4 | to educate survivors as to their benefits and protections under | ||||||
5 | State law; and | ||||||
6 | WHEREAS, By recognizing these sacrifices, the State of | ||||||
7 | Illinois encourages its citizens to participate to the fullest | ||||||
8 | extent in the national defense program and thereby heightens | ||||||
9 | the contribution of our State to the protection of our heritage | ||||||
10 | of liberty and democracy; therefore"; and | ||||||
11 | on page 1, by replacing lines 4 and 5 with the following: | ||||||
12 | "Section 5. The Court of Claims Act is amended by changing | ||||||
13 | Section 24 and by adding Section 9.5 as follows: | ||||||
14 | (705 ILCS 505/9.5 new) | ||||||
15 | Sec. 9.5. Gold Star and Fallen Heroes Families Assistance | ||||||
16 | Program. | ||||||
17 | (a) Within the Court of Claims, there is established a Gold | ||||||
18 | Star and Fallen Heroes Families Assistance Program, which is | ||||||
19 | charged with the responsibility of assessing the needs of and | ||||||
20 | providing information to Illinois Gold Star and Fallen Heroes | ||||||
21 | Families with regard to claims filed pursuant to the Line of | ||||||
22 | Duty Compensation Act. |
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1 | (b) As used in this Section, "Gold Star and Fallen Heroes | ||||||
2 | Family" means the family members of an
individual who was | ||||||
3 | killed in the line of duty and who was employed or serving in a | ||||||
4 | capacity defined in Section 2 of the Line of Duty Compensation | ||||||
5 | Act. | ||||||
6 | (c) Toll-free helpline. The Gold Star and Fallen Heroes | ||||||
7 | Families Assistance Program shall include a toll-free helpline | ||||||
8 | dedicated to families seeking information about the Line of | ||||||
9 | Duty Compensation Act, including, but not limited to, the | ||||||
10 | status of claims filed pursuant to that Act. The helpline phone | ||||||
11 | number and information about the Gold Star and Fallen Heroes | ||||||
12 | Families Assistance Program shall be provided to each person | ||||||
13 | filing a claim under the Line of Duty Compensation Act. | ||||||
14 | (d) On or before January 1 of each year, the Court of | ||||||
15 | Claims shall report to the Governor, both houses of the General | ||||||
16 | Assembly, and the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs the | ||||||
17 | following information: | ||||||
18 | (1) the number of claims filed with the Court of Claims | ||||||
19 | pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation Act; | ||||||
20 | (2) the number of Line of Duty Compensation Act claims | ||||||
21 | approved for payment by the Court of Claims during the | ||||||
22 | preceding calendar year; | ||||||
23 | (3) the number and status of Line of Duty Compensation | ||||||
24 | Act claims pending in the Court of Claims; and | ||||||
25 | (4) other information as may be requested by the | ||||||
26 | Governor. ".
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