Sen. Cristina Castro

Filed: 5/2/2019

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 120

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 120 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Department of Veterans' Affairs Act is
5amended by adding Section 38 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2805/38 new)
7    Sec. 38. Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force.
8    (a) The Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force is
9created. The Task Force shall review and make recommendations
10regarding veterans' service-related ailments that are not
11recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,
12including exploring why certain service-related ailments are
13not recognized and determining what may be done to have them
14recognized.
15    Additionally, the Task Force shall assess ways the State of
16Illinois can improve the rate at which disability compensation

 

 

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1claims are approved by the federal government and correct the
2disparity between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs'
3approval of disability compensation for Illinois veterans and
4that which is approved for veterans in other states.
5    (b) The Task Force shall have 15 members, comprised as
6follows:
7        (1) The Director of Veterans' Affairs or the Director's
8    designee, who shall serve as chairperson.
9        (2) 2 Members from the House of Representatives,
10    appointed one each by the Speaker of the House and the
11    House Minority Leader.
12        (3) 2 Members of the Senate, appointed one each by the
13    President of the Senate and the Senate Minority Leader.
14        (4) One veteran, appointed by the Director of Veterans'
15    Affairs.
16        (5) One medical professional with experience working
17    with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, appointed by
18    the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
19        (6) 4 representatives from a variety of veterans
20    organizations representing geographic diversity in the
21    State, appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
22        (7) 4 members appointed by the chair of the Veterans'
23    Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and the
24    chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the Senate.
25    Those appointed to the Task Force under this paragraph
26    shall be members of different Illinois counties' Veterans

 

 

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1    Assistance Commissions, Veteran Service Officers, and
2    VITAS officials.
3    Task Force members shall serve without compensation but may
4be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in performing their
5duties.
6    (c) The Task Force shall meet at least once every 2 months
7beginning July 1, 2019, and at other times as determined by the
8Task Force.
9    (d) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide
10administrative and other support to the Task Force.
11    (e) The Task Force shall prepare a report that summarizes
12its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study.
13The Task Force shall submit the report of its findings and
14recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by
15December 31, 2020. The Task Force is dissolved, and this
16Section is repealed, on December 31, 2021.
 
17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
18becoming law.".