Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB1368

Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit

Filed: 5/15/2025

10400SB1368ham001 LRB104 08902 KTG 26064 a

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1368

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1368 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing Section 5-2006 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-2006) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-2006)

Sec. 5-2006. Tax for Veterans Assistance Commission. The county board of each county having a population of less than 3 million in which there is a Veterans Assistance Commission as provided in Section 9 of the Military Veterans Assistance Act may levy a tax of not to exceed .03% of the assessed value annually on all taxable property of the county, for the purpose of providing assistance to military veterans and their families pursuant to such Act. Whenever not less than 10% of the electors of the county petition the county board to levy the tax at not to exceed .04% of the assessed value, the county board shall certify the proposition to the proper election officials who shall submit the proposition at the next general election in accordance with the general election law. If a majority of the electors vote in favor of the proposition, the county board may, annually, levy the tax as authorized.

The county board of each county that has a population of less than 3,000,000 and that is a participant in a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission as provided in Section 9 of the Military Veterans Assistance Act may levy a tax of not to exceed .03% of the assessed value annually on all taxable property of the county for the purpose of providing assistance to military veterans and their families pursuant to such Act. The proceeds from this tax for a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission shall be directed into the county treasury of the county where the Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission is headquartered.

The respective proceeds of any tax so levied for a Veterans Assistance Commission or a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission shall be used exclusively for the assistance purposes authorized thereunder, and a portion thereof may be expended for the salaries of any officers or employees of the Veterans Assistance Commission, for the authorized reimbursement of any officer or employee of the Veterans Assistance Commission, as provided in Section 10 of the Military Veterans Assistance Act, or for any other expenses incident to the administration of such assistance.

The tax shall be separate from all other taxes which the county is authorized to levy on the aggregate valuation of the property within the county and shall not be included in any tax limitation of the rate upon which taxes are required to be extended, but shall be excluded therefrom and in addition thereto. The tax shall be levied and collected in like manner as the general taxes of the county, and, when collected, shall be paid into a special fund in the county treasury and used only as herein authorized, or disbursed from the county treasury of a county in which a properly organized Veterans Assistance Commission is authorized under Section 3-11008 of this Code.

The limitations on tax rates herein provided may be increased or decreased under the referendum provisions of the General Revenue Law of Illinois.

If a county has levied the tax herein authorized or otherwise meets the conditions set out in Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code, to qualify for State funds to supplement local funds for public purposes under Articles III, IV, V, VI, and IX of that Code and otherwise meets the conditions set out in Article XII of that Code for receipt of State aid, the Illinois Department of Human Services shall allocate and pay to the county such additional sums as it determines to be necessary to meet the needs of assistance to military veterans and their families in the county and expenses incident to the administration of such assistance. In counties where a Veterans Assistance Commission has been properly created, those County Veterans Assistance Commissions shall be in charge of the administration of such assistance provided under the Illinois Public Aid Code for military veterans and their families.

(Source: P.A. 102-732, eff. 1-1-23; 102-1132, eff. 2-10-23.)

Section 10. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by changing Section 12-21.13 as follows:

(305 ILCS 5/12-21.13) (from Ch. 23, par. 12-21.13)

Sec. 12-21.13. Local funds required to qualify for state aid. To qualify for State funds to supplement local funds for public aid purposes, a local governmental unit shall, except as hereinafter provided, levy within the time that such levy is authorized to be made a tax of an amount which, when added to the unobligated balance available for such purposes at the close of the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the tax is levied will equal .10% of the last known total equalized value of all taxable property in the governmental unit.

In a county of less than 3 million population in which there is created a County Veterans Assistance Commission, the county shall levy for assistance to military veterans and their families, within the time that such levy is authorized to be made, a tax of an amount which, when added to the unobligated balance available for such purpose at the close of the preceding fiscal year will equal .02% of the last known assessed value of the taxable property in the county, or which will equal .03% of such assessed value if such higher amount is authorized by the electors of the county, as provided in Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code.

In a county that has a population of less than 3,000,000 and that is a participant in a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission, the county shall levy for assistance to military veterans and their families, within the time that such levy is authorized to be made, a tax of an amount which, when added to the unobligated balance available for such purpose at the close of the preceding fiscal year, equals .02% of the last known assessed value of the taxable property in the county. The proceeds from this tax for a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission shall be directed into the county treasury of the county where the Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission is headquartered.

If, however, at the latest date in the year on which the aforesaid taxes are authorized to be levied there is in the unobligated balance of the local governmental unit an amount equal to .10%, or .02% in the case of Veterans' Assistance, of the last known total equalized value of all taxable property in the governmental unit, then no tax need be levied in that year in order for the local governmental unit to qualify for State funds.

In determining the amount of the unobligated balance which is to be applied in producing the required levy for receipt of State funds, or which is to be applied in determining whether a tax levy is required, there shall be deducted from the gross unobligated balance of funds available at the close of the preceding fiscal year the total amount of State funds allocated to the governmental unit during that year and the total amount of any monies transferred to a township's general town fund under Section 235-20 of the Township Code during that year, and only the remainder shall be considered in determining the amount of the deficiency needed to produce an amount equal to the qualifying levy for the current year.

(Source: P.A. 87-796; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)

Section 15. The Military Veterans Assistance Act is amended by changing Sections 2 and 9 as follows:

(330 ILCS 45/2) (from Ch. 23, par. 3082)

Sec. 2. The purpose of this Act is, in part, to provide, in accordance with this Section, just and necessary assistance and services to military veterans who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and whose last discharge from the service was honorable or general under honorable conditions, to their families, and to the families of deceased veterans with service who need such assistance and services. The following actions shall be taken in support of that purpose:

(1) The supervisor of general assistance or the county board shall provide such sums of money as may be just and necessary to be drawn by the commander, quartermaster or commandant of any veterans service organization, in the city or town, or the superintendent of any Veterans' Assistance Commission of the county, upon the recommendation of the assistance committee of that veterans service organization or Veterans' Assistance Commission.

(A) Funding for Veterans Assistance Commissions may be derived from 3 sources, if applicable:

(i) a tax levied under Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code and Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code;

(ii) funds from the county general corporate fund; and

(iii) State funds from the Department of Human Services.

(B) The minimum amount to be provided annually to Veterans Assistance Commissions is provided in Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code, unless the delegates of the County Veterans Assistance Commission determine that a lesser amount covers the just and necessary sums.

(1.5) The supervisor of general assistance or the county board of a county in which a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission is headquartered shall provide such sums of money as may be just and necessary to be drawn by the superintendent of the Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission headquartered in that county, upon the recommendation of the delegates of the Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission. Each participating county of a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission shall fund the Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission in accordance with this Section. Participating counties shall provide the support and materials required to administer a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission in the same manner individual counties are required under this Act to provide support and materials to single-county Veterans Assistance Commissions.

(A) Funding for Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commissions may be derived from a tax levied under Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code and Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

(B) The minimum amount to be provided annually to Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commissions is provided in Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code, unless the delegates of the Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission determine that a lesser amount covers the just and necessary sums.

(2) If any supervisor of general assistance or county board fails or refuses after such recommendation to provide just and necessary sums of money for such assistance, then the veteran service organization or the superintendent of any Veterans' Assistance Commission located in the district of such supervisor of general assistance or such county board or the superintendent of any Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission headquartered in the district of such supervisor of general assistance or such county board shall apply to the circuit court of the district or county for relief by mandamus upon the supervisor of general assistance or county board requiring him, her or it to pay, or to appropriate and pay such sums of money, and upon proof made of the justice and necessity of the claim, the circuit court shall grant the sums so requested.

(3) Such sums of money shall be drawn in the manner now provided under Section 5-2006 of the Counties Code and Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Orders of commanders, quartermasters, commandants, or superintendents of those veterans service organizations or those Veterans' Assistance Commissions or those Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commissions shall be proper warrants for the expenditure of such sums of money.

(Source: P.A. 102-732, eff. 1-1-23; 102-1132, eff. 2-10-23.)

(330 ILCS 45/9) (from Ch. 23, par. 3089)

Sec. 9. Veterans Assistance Commission.

(a) In counties having 2 or more veteran service organizations as may be recognized by law, the veteran service organizations may come together to form a Veterans Assistance Commission of such county. The Veterans Assistance Commission of such county may act as the central service office for all veterans and their families and for the families of deceased veterans. The Commission shall be composed of delegates and alternates from a majority of such veteran service organizations selected annually as determined by each veteran service organization. When so organized a Commission shall be clothed with all the powers and may be charged with all the duties theretofore devolving upon the different veteran service organizations within the county as provided in Section 2.

(1) Every January 1, all Veterans Assistance Commissions shall publish a notice to each veteran service organization within their respective county calling on them to select delegates and alternates for that county's Veterans Assistance Commission by the methods provided in this subsection. The Veterans Assistance Commissions shall allow each veteran service organization until March 1 to respond, at which time those selected and duly appointed delegates and alternates shall begin their term of office with full voting rights. Once selected, delegates and alternates are bound by the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), veteran service organizations shall be permitted to select one delegate and one alternate.

(3) In counties with 5 or more of the same veteran service organizations, all the constituent veteran service organizations shall be permitted to select up to 5 delegates and 5 alternates to represent that veteran service organization instead of each constituent veteran service organization selecting one delegate and one alternate. For the purposes of meeting the majority requirement of this subsection, when the constituent groups of a veteran service organization choose to select those delegates and alternates, those selected and duly appointed delegates and alternates shall represent the aggregate percentage of the constituent groups.

(4) If a veteran service organization serves more than one county, then it shall be permitted to select one delegate and one alternate for the Veterans Assistance Commission in each county in which at least 25% of its members reside.

(5) All undertakings of, or actions taken by, the Commission shall require a vote from a majority of the full commission membership. No committee or other subgroup of delegates and alternates formed by the Commission, whether selected or appointed, may be granted the power or authority to act in the place of or on behalf of the full body of the duly selected or appointed Commission membership.

(6) No superintendent or any other employee of the Veterans Assistance Commission may retain the position of delegate or alternate or any voting rights while employed by the Veterans Assistance Commission.

(7) No committee or other subgroup of delegates and alternates formed by the Commission, whether selected or appointed, may bar any other duly appointed Commission member from attending or otherwise being present during any closed meetings or sessions of that committee or group.

(8) The county may, at its discretion, appoint a representative to the Commission who may attend any public meeting of the Commission. That representative shall be a veteran, may not have voting rights, may not hold any office or title on the Commission, and may not be present during any nonpublic meeting of the Commission, except as authorized in this Act. For matters of executive session, the non-voting county appointee may attend meetings that are closed in accordance with paragraphs (1), (3), (5), (6), or (11) of subsection (c) of Section 2 of the Open Meetings Act for litigation matters not relating to litigation between the Commission and the County.

(b) The Commission and its selected or appointed superintendent shall have oversight of the distribution of all moneys and supplies appropriated for the benefit of military veterans and their families, subject to such rules, regulations, administrative procedures or audit reviews as are required by this Act and as are necessary as approved by the Commission to carry out the spirit and intent of this Act. No warrant authorized under this Act may be issued for the payment of money without the presentation of an itemized statement or claim, approved by the superintendent of the Commission.

(c) The superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission, selected, appointed, or hired by the Commission is an at-will employee who shall be answerable to, and shall report to, the Commission.

(d) The superintendent shall be evaluated annually and a written report shall be generated. A copy of the report from the evaluation shall be provided to the entire Commission membership.

(e) A superintendent may be removed from office if, after delegates from no less than 3 different veteran service organizations file a written request calling for the superintendent's removal, there is a vote from a majority of the full Commission membership in favor of such removal.

(f) Each Veterans Assistance Commission shall establish and maintain bylaws that outline the framework, policies, and procedures for conducting the business of the Commission and for the rules and regulations that apply to its members. Those bylaws shall reflect compliance with all relevant laws at the time they are established and shall be revised as necessary to remain in compliance with current law. The establishment of those bylaws, and any revisions thereafter, shall require a minimum two-thirds majority vote of approval from a majority of the full Commission membership.

(g) Each Veterans Assistance Commission shall, in writing, adopt all applicable policies already established and in place in its respective county, including, but not limited to, policies related to compensation, employee rights, ethics, procurement, and budget, and shall adapt those policies to fit its organizational structure. Those policies shall then be considered the policies of the Veterans Assistance Commission and they shall be implemented and adhered to, accordingly, by the superintendent and by the Commission. The Commission shall amend its adopted policies whenever a county board amends an applicable policy within 60 days of the county board amendment.

(h) No warrant authorized under this Act may be issued for the payment of money without the presentation of an itemized statement or claim, approved by the superintendent of the Commission and reported to the full Commission membership.

(i) Each Veterans Assistance Commission shall perform an annual audit in accordance with the Governmental Account Audit Act using either the auditing services provided by its respective county or the services of an independent auditor whose services shall be paid for by the Commission. A copy of that audit report shall be provided to the president or chairperson of the county board.

(j) Veterans Assistance Commissions and county boards subject to this Act shall cooperate fully with the boards, commissions, agencies, departments, and institutions of the State. The funds held and made available by the county, the State, or any other source shall be subject to financial and compliance audits in accordance with the Illinois State Auditing Act.

(k) The Veterans Assistance Commission shall be in charge of the administration of any benefits provided under Articles VI and IX of the Illinois Public Aid Code for military veterans and their families.

(l) The Veterans Assistance Commission shall represent veterans in their application for or attempts to obtain benefits and services through State and federal agencies, including representing veterans in their appeals of adverse decisions.

(m) The superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission and its employees must comply with the procedures and regulations adopted by the Veterans Assistance Commission and the regulations of the Department of Human Services.

(n) To further the intent of this Act of assisting military veterans, this Act is to be construed so that the Veterans Assistance Commission shall provide needed services to eligible veterans.

(o)(1) In counties that did not have a Veterans Assistance Commission prior to January 1, 2026, and in which there exists a judicial circuit whose jurisdictional boundaries include multiple counties, veteran service organizations located within any of those counties that are within the judicial circuit's jurisdictional boundaries may come together and create a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission that shall provide services to veterans and their families. The Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission shall be known as the Veterans Assistance Commission of that judicial circuit.

(2) The superintendent of a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission formed in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be selected from among all honorably discharged veterans of all participating counties within that judicial circuit's boundaries and shall maintain a centrally located office within that judicial circuit. However, for a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission formed within a large judicial circuit, the superintendent is not precluded from having multiple offices that shall be owned and maintained by the Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission.

(3) Delegates and alternates shall be selected by the veterans service organizations of that judicial circuit in the same manner as prescribed in paragraph (1) of subsection (a).

(4) Any existing Veterans Assistance Commission that is part of a Judicial Circuit that is comprised of multiple counties, as of January 1, 2025, may merge into a Veterans Assistance Commission of that Judicial Circuit with its neighboring counties. Those existing Veterans Assistance Commissions that choose not to merge may continue to exist independently while the other counties combine to form a new Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission of that judicial circuit.

(5) Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly shall be interpreted to restrict any Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commissions from providing services to veterans and their families who reside outside of those participating counties.

(Source: P.A. 102-484, eff. 8-20-21; 102-732, eff. 1-1-23; 102-1132, eff. 2-10-23.)".