HB1233eng 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1233 Engrossed LRB095 06716 HLH 27674 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Lottery Law is amended by changing Section 21.6 as follows:

(20 ILCS 1605/21.6)

Sec. 21.6. Scratch-off for Illinois veterans.

(a) The Department, or any successor in interest, shall offer a special instant scratch-off game for the benefit of Illinois veterans. The game shall commence on January 1, 2006 or as soon thereafter, at the discretion of the Director, as is reasonably practical. The operation of the game shall be governed by this Act and any rules adopted by the Department. If any provision of this Section is inconsistent with any other provision of this Act, then this Section governs. The Department, or any successor in interest, shall operate the game so that tickets are fully available and distributed to agents year-round. Tickets shall be available in all instant ticket dispensing machines controlled by the Department or any successor in interest.

The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs shall approve the ticket design for the special instant scratch-off game. The ticket design shall emphasize patriotic themes and achieve design continuity and familiarity for ticket purchasers. The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs is authorized to communicate directly with Lottery agents to promote the special game, and that communication shall be facilitated by the Department of Revenue. Any cost related to such communication shall be included as an administrative expense in calculating net revenue under subsection (b).

(b) The Illinois Veterans Assistance Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The net revenue from the Illinois veterans scratch-off game shall be deposited into the Fund for appropriation by the General Assembly solely to the Department of Veterans Affairs for making grants, funding additional services, or conducting additional research projects relating to:

(i) veterans' post traumatic stress disorder;

(ii) veterans' homelessness;

(iii) the health insurance costs of veterans;

(iv) veterans' disability benefits, including but not limited to, disability benefits provided by veterans service organizations and veterans assistance commissions or centers; and

(v) the long-term care of veterans.

Moneys collected from the special instant scratch-off game shall be used only as a supplemental financial resource and shall not supplant existing moneys that the Department of Veterans Affairs may currently expend for the purposes set forth in items (i) through (v) (i-v).

Moneys received for the purposes of this Section, including, without limitation, net revenue from the special instant scratch-off game and from gifts, grants, and awards from any public or private entity, must be deposited into the Fund. Any interest earned on moneys in the Fund must be deposited into the Fund.

For purposes of this subsection, "net revenue" means the total amount for which tickets have been sold less the sum of the amount paid out in the prizes and the actual administrative expenses of the Department solely related to the scratch-off game under this Section.

(c) During the time that tickets are sold for the Illinois veterans scratch-off game, the Department shall not unreasonably diminish the efforts devoted to marketing and distributing the any other instant scratch-off lottery game.

(d) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 94-585, eff. 8-15-05; revised 9-6-05.)

Section 10. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2805/4) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 69)

Sec. 4. Veterans' service officers.

(a) A veterans' service officer shall be assigned to each field office. He must be an honorably discharged veteran from service in the Armed Forces of the United States. He must have served during a time of hostilities with a foreign country, and must meet one or more of the following conditions:

(i) The veteran served a total of at least 6 months.

(ii) The veteran served for the duration of hostilities regardless of the length of engagement.

(iii) The veteran was discharged on the basis of hardship.

(iv) The veteran was released from active duty because of a service connected disability and was discharged under honorable conditions.

As used in this Section, "time of hostilities with a foreign country" means any period of time in the past, present, or future during which a declaration of war by the United States Congress has been or is in effect or during which an emergency condition has been or is in effect that is recognized by the issuance of a Presidential proclamation or a Presidential executive order and in which the armed forces expeditionary medal or other campaign service medals are awarded according to Presidential executive order.

(b) The duties of veterans' service officers shall include:

(1) assisting veterans and their families in working with federal, State, and local agencies that administer programs for veterans;

(2) assisting veterans in maximizing State and federal benefits that may be available to them;

(3) streamlining the benefit application and awareness process;

(4) coordinating community outreach to promote veterans assistance programs;

(5) promoting the use of veterans advocates in the State and serving as a link between veterans, veterans advocates, and the Department; and

(6) recommending improvements in outreach methods, programs, and training.

Subject to appropriation, the Director of Veterans Affairs shall appoint a Chief Veterans' Service Officer who shall serve at the pleasure of the Director and who shall coordinate the duties and activities of all veterans' service officers assigned to field offices. The Chief Veterans' Service Officer shall also advise senior Department staff regarding the duties and activities of veterans' service officers.

(Source: P.A. 88-275.)