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1 | AN ACT concerning State government. | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | |||||||||||||||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly: | |||||||||||||||||||
4 | Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended | |||||||||||||||||||
5 | by adding Section 10-68 as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||
6 | (20 ILCS 1305/10-68 new) | |||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 10-68. Advise on State military immigrant family | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | legacy program coordinators. The Department's Office of | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | Welcoming Centers for Refugee and Immigrant Services shall | |||||||||||||||||||
10 | advise the State military immigrant family legacy program | |||||||||||||||||||
11 | coordinators as provided in Section 40 of the Department of | |||||||||||||||||||
12 | Veterans' Affairs Act. | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | Section 10. The Military Code of Illinois is amended by | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | adding Section 22-7.1 as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | (20 ILCS 1805/22-7.1 new) | |||||||||||||||||||
16 | Sec. 22-7.1. State military immigrant family legacy | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | program support coordinator. The Adjutant General shall | |||||||||||||||||||
18 | encourage the development of and provide for the establishment | |||||||||||||||||||
19 | of a State military immigrant family legacy program | |||||||||||||||||||
20 | coordinator, as provided in Section 40 of the Department of | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | Veterans' Affairs Act. |
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1 | Section 15. The Department of Veterans' Affairs Act is | ||||||
2 | amended by changing Section 2 and by adding Section 40 as | ||||||
3 | follows: | ||||||
4 | (20 ILCS 2805/2) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67) | ||||||
5 | Sec. 2. Powers and duties. The Department shall have the | ||||||
6 | following powers and duties: | ||||||
7 | To perform such acts at the request of any veteran, or his | ||||||
8 | or her spouse, surviving spouse or dependents as shall be | ||||||
9 | reasonably necessary or reasonably incident to obtaining or | ||||||
10 | endeavoring to obtain for the requester any advantage, benefit | ||||||
11 | or emolument accruing or due to such person under any law of | ||||||
12 | the United States, the State of Illinois or any other state or | ||||||
13 | governmental agency by reason of the service of such veteran, | ||||||
14 | and in pursuance thereof shall: | ||||||
15 | (1) Contact veterans, their survivors and dependents | ||||||
16 | and advise them of the benefits of state and federal laws | ||||||
17 | and assist them in obtaining such benefits; | ||||||
18 | (2) Establish field offices and direct the activities | ||||||
19 | of the personnel assigned to such offices; | ||||||
20 | (3) Create and maintain a volunteer field force; the | ||||||
21 | volunteer field force may include representatives from the | ||||||
22 | following without limitation: educational institutions, | ||||||
23 | labor organizations, veterans organizations, employers, | ||||||
24 | churches, and farm organizations; the volunteer field |
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1 | force may not process federal veterans assistance claims; | ||||||
2 | (4) Conduct informational and training services; | ||||||
3 | (5) Conduct educational programs through newspapers, | ||||||
4 | periodicals, social media, television, and radio for the | ||||||
5 | specific purpose of disseminating information affecting | ||||||
6 | veterans and their dependents; | ||||||
7 | (6) Coordinate the services and activities of all | ||||||
8 | state departments having services and resources affecting | ||||||
9 | veterans and their dependents; | ||||||
10 | (7) Encourage and assist in the coordination of | ||||||
11 | agencies within counties giving service to veterans and | ||||||
12 | their dependents; | ||||||
13 | (8) Cooperate with veterans organizations and other | ||||||
14 | governmental agencies; | ||||||
15 | (9) Make, alter, amend and promulgate reasonable rules | ||||||
16 | and procedures for the administration of this Act; | ||||||
17 | (10) Make and publish annual reports to the Governor | ||||||
18 | regarding the administration and general operation of the | ||||||
19 | Department; | ||||||
20 | (11) (Blank); | ||||||
21 | (12) (Blank); and | ||||||
22 | (13) Provide informational resources and education to | ||||||
23 | veterans returning from deployment regarding service | ||||||
24 | animals for individuals with disabilities, including, but | ||||||
25 | not limited to, resources and education on service animals | ||||||
26 | that guide people who are blind, pull a wheelchair, alert |
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1 | a person with hearing loss, protect a person having a | ||||||
2 | seizure, assist a person with a traumatic brain injury, | ||||||
3 | and calm a person with post-traumatic stress disorder | ||||||
4 | during an anxiety attack or psychiatric episode ; and . | ||||||
5 | (14) To encourage the development of and provide for | ||||||
6 | the establishment of a State military immigrant family | ||||||
7 | legacy program coordinator, as provided in Section 40. | ||||||
8 | The Department may accept and hold on behalf of the State, | ||||||
9 | if for the public interest, a grant, gift, devise or bequest of | ||||||
10 | money or property to the Department made for the general | ||||||
11 | benefit of Illinois veterans, including the conduct of | ||||||
12 | informational and training services by the Department and | ||||||
13 | other authorized purposes of the Department. The Department | ||||||
14 | shall cause each grant, gift, devise or bequest to be kept as a | ||||||
15 | distinct fund and shall invest such funds in the manner | ||||||
16 | provided by the Public Funds Investment Act, as now or | ||||||
17 | hereafter amended, and shall make such reports as may be | ||||||
18 | required by the Comptroller concerning what funds are so held | ||||||
19 | and the manner in which such funds are invested. The | ||||||
20 | Department may make grants from these funds for the general | ||||||
21 | benefit of Illinois veterans. Grants from these funds, except | ||||||
22 | for the funds established under Sections 2.01a and 2.03, shall | ||||||
23 | be subject to appropriation. | ||||||
24 | The Department has the power to make grants, from funds | ||||||
25 | appropriated from the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, | ||||||
26 | for benefits authorized under the Survivors Compensation Act. |
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1 | (Source: P.A. 99-314, eff. 8-7-15; 99-576, eff. 7-15-16; | ||||||
2 | 100-84, eff. 1-1-18 .) | ||||||
3 | (20 ILCS 2805/40 new) | ||||||
4 | Sec. 40. Military Immigrant Family Legacy Program. | ||||||
5 | (a) As used in this Section: | ||||||
6 | "Adjutant General" means the Adjutant General of the | ||||||
7 | Department of Military Affairs. | ||||||
8 | "Coordinator" means an employee of the Department | ||||||
9 | appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs, or an employee | ||||||
10 | of the Department of Military Affairs appointed by the | ||||||
11 | Adjutant General, to serve as a military immigrant family | ||||||
12 | legacy program coordinator as provided under subsection (c). | ||||||
13 | "Department" means the Department of Veterans' Affairs. | ||||||
14 | "Director" means the Director of the Department of | ||||||
15 | Veterans' Affairs. | ||||||
16 | "Intended recipients" means uniformed service members, | ||||||
17 | veterans, reserve component members, and their family members. | ||||||
18 | "Program" means the military immigrant family legacy | ||||||
19 | program. | ||||||
20 | "Qualifying condition" means a diagnosis of post-traumatic | ||||||
21 | stress disorder or traumatic brain injury made by, or an | ||||||
22 | experience of military sexual trauma, as described in 38 | ||||||
23 | U.S.C. 1720D, as amended from time to time, disclosed to an | ||||||
24 | individual licensed to provide health care services at a | ||||||
25 | United States Department of Veterans Affairs facility or to an |
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1 | individual licensed to provide health care services within the | ||||||
2 | State of Illinois. | ||||||
3 | "Reserve component members" means individuals serving in | ||||||
4 | the United States Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps | ||||||
5 | Reserve, the Army National Guard, the Air National Guard, or | ||||||
6 | Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service during the time the | ||||||
7 | unit was federally recognized as a reserve component. | ||||||
8 | "Uniformed services" means the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, | ||||||
9 | Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Public Health | ||||||
10 | Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric | ||||||
11 | Administration Commissioned Officer Corps of the United | ||||||
12 | States. | ||||||
13 | "Uniformed service member" means a member of the United | ||||||
14 | States Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force Corps, Marine Corps, | ||||||
15 | Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, or | ||||||
16 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned | ||||||
17 | Officer Corps serving on active duty. | ||||||
18 | "Veteran" means a person who served on active duty in the | ||||||
19 | uniformed services of the United States, or in the Army | ||||||
20 | National Guard, Air National Guard, or Illinois National | ||||||
21 | Guard, or as a commissioned officer in the Public Health | ||||||
22 | Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric | ||||||
23 | Administration, or as a cadet at a United States armed forces | ||||||
24 | service academy, and who has been released from such service | ||||||
25 | under other than dishonorable conditions. "Veteran" includes | ||||||
26 | any veteran with a qualifying condition who has received a |
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1 | discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such | ||||||
2 | service. | ||||||
3 | (b) There is established within the Department, in | ||||||
4 | conjunction with the Department of Military Affairs, a | ||||||
5 | military immigrant family legacy program which shall be | ||||||
6 | jointly developed and implemented by the Director and the | ||||||
7 | Adjutant General, in consultation with the Department of Human | ||||||
8 | Services' Office of Welcoming Centers for Refugee and | ||||||
9 | Immigrant Services, and in accordance with the provisions of | ||||||
10 | this Section. The primary purpose of the program shall be to | ||||||
11 | assist intended recipients to secure legal immigration status | ||||||
12 | in the United States, including, but not limited to, | ||||||
13 | citizenship. | ||||||
14 | (c) Two military immigrant family legacy program | ||||||
15 | coordinators shall be appointed, one appointed by the Director | ||||||
16 | and one by the Adjutant General, to administer the program. | ||||||
17 | Each coordinator shall be a veteran. The coordinators' duties | ||||||
18 | shall include, but not be limited to: | ||||||
19 | (1) Assisting intended recipients, who may qualify for | ||||||
20 | adjustment of status, special immigration status through | ||||||
21 | the federal Parole in Place program authorized by Section | ||||||
22 | 1758 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal | ||||||
23 | Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92), or any other sort of | ||||||
24 | immigration relief, including relief that can lead to | ||||||
25 | citizenship, in securing legal representation or | ||||||
26 | consultation by qualified immigration attorneys or duly |
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1 | authorized representatives of the Board Of Immigration | ||||||
2 | Appeals as may be necessary to obtain such relief. | ||||||
3 | (2) Communicating with the Director and the Adjutant | ||||||
4 | General and the Office of Welcoming Centers for Refugee | ||||||
5 | and Immigrant Services regarding existing policies and | ||||||
6 | regulations pertaining to the needs of intended recipients | ||||||
7 | and to make recommendations regarding the improvement of | ||||||
8 | benefits and services to such intended recipients. | ||||||
9 | (3) Serving as liaison between the Department and the | ||||||
10 | Department of Military Affairs, the United States | ||||||
11 | Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and | ||||||
12 | Customs Enforcement, the United States Department of | ||||||
13 | Veterans Affairs, the United States Department of Defense, | ||||||
14 | local veterans' services agencies, State agencies, | ||||||
15 | community groups, advocates, and other veterans and | ||||||
16 | military organizations and interested parties for the | ||||||
17 | purpose of coordinating efforts to provide immigration | ||||||
18 | relief to intended recipients. | ||||||
19 | (4) Consulting with qualified immigration attorneys or | ||||||
20 | duly authorized and approved representatives of the Board | ||||||
21 | of Immigration Appeals to facilitate such coordination | ||||||
22 | with the United States Citizenship and Immigration | ||||||
23 | Services or any other appropriate agency. | ||||||
24 | (5) Advocating for intended recipients. | ||||||
25 | (6) Developing and maintaining a clearinghouse for | ||||||
26 | information and resources relating to the program as well |
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1 | as other federal, State, local, and nonprofit programs | ||||||
2 | that may offer assistance to intended recipients in | ||||||
3 | immigration matters. | ||||||
4 | (7) Promoting events and activities that educate and | ||||||
5 | assist intended recipients, including, but not limited to, | ||||||
6 | veteran human rights conferences and veterans benefit and | ||||||
7 | resources events. | ||||||
8 | (8) Including the contributions that intended | ||||||
9 | recipients have made on behalf of the United States and | ||||||
10 | this State on the Department's official website. | ||||||
11 | (9) Developing information to be made available to | ||||||
12 | congressionally chartered veterans' organizations, and | ||||||
13 | local veterans' services agencies to provide a general | ||||||
14 | overview of the program, including, but not limited to, | ||||||
15 | its purpose and the eligibility requirements for | ||||||
16 | adjustment of status, citizenship, or any other form of | ||||||
17 | available relief. | ||||||
18 | (10) Preparing reports on topics, including, but not | ||||||
19 | limited to, the demographics of intended recipients | ||||||
20 | residing in the State, including the number of such | ||||||
21 | intended recipients by county, an estimate of how many may | ||||||
22 | be eligible for naturalization, and the unique needs of | ||||||
23 | the intended recipients within Illinois to the Director, | ||||||
24 | the Adjutant General, and the Department of Human | ||||||
25 | Services' Office of Welcoming Centers for Refugee and | ||||||
26 | Immigrant Services. |
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1 | (d) The coordinators shall submit a report to the Director | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | and the Adjutant General on January 1, 2026 and each January 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | thereafter. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | a description and evaluation of the coordinators' activities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | for the preceding calendar year as well as any recommendations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | for future programmatic changes. The Director and the Adjutant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | General shall jointly submit the report on an annual basis to | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | the Governor and the General Assembly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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