102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2017
 
Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Thomas Cullerton
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:



20 ILCS 2805/38

 Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force shall meet at least once every 2 months beginning on or before January 1, 2022 (rather than beginning July 1, 2019). Removes language requiring the Director of Veterans' Affairs or the Director's designee to serve as chairperson of the Task Force and replaces it with language providing that Task Force members shall select from among themselves a chairperson or co-chairpersons at the initial Task Force meeting. Provides that the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings to the Governor and General Assembly on or before June 1, 2023 (rather than December 31, 2020). Provides that the Task Force is dissolved, and the provisions repealed, on December 31, 2023 (rather than 2021). Effective immediately.



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A BILL FOR
 


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1 AN ACT concerning State government.


2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,

3represented in the General Assembly:



4 Section 5. The Department of Veterans' Affairs Act is 
5amended by changing Section 38 as follows:

6 (20 ILCS 2805/38)
7 (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2021)
8 Sec. 38. Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force.
9 (a) The Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force is 
10created. The Task Force shall review and make recommendations 
11regarding veterans' service-related ailments that are not 
12recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 
13including exploring why certain service-related ailments are 
14not recognized and determining what may be done to have them 
15recognized.
16 Additionally, the Task Force shall assess ways the State 
17of Illinois can improve the rate at which disability 
18compensation claims are approved by the federal government and 
19correct the disparity between the U.S. Department of Veterans 
20Affairs' approval of disability compensation for Illinois 
21veterans and that which is approved for veterans in other 
22states.
23 (b) The Task Force shall have 15 members, comprised as 
 
 
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1follows:
2  (1) The Director of Veterans' Affairs or the 
3 Director's designee, who shall serve as chairperson.
4  (2) 2 Members from the House of Representatives, 
5 appointed one each by the Speaker of the House and the 
6 House Minority Leader.
7  (3) 2 Members of the Senate, appointed one each by the 
8 President of the Senate and the Senate Minority Leader.
9  (4) One veteran, appointed by the Director of 
10 Veterans' Affairs.
11  (5) One medical professional with experience working 
12 with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, appointed by 
13 the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
14  (6) 4 representatives from a variety of veterans 
15 organizations representing geographic diversity in the 
16 State, appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs.
17  (7) 4 members, one of whom shall be appointed by the 
18 chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee of the House of 
19 Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the 
20 minority spokesperson of the Veterans' Affairs Committee 
21 of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be 
22 appointed by the chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee 
23 of the Senate, and one of whom shall be appointed by the 
24 minority spokesperson of the Veterans Affairs Committee of 
25 the Senate. Those appointed to the Task Force under this 
26 paragraph shall be members of different Illinois counties' 
 
 
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1 Veterans Assistance Commissions, Veteran Service Officers, 
2 and VITAS officials.
3 Task Force members shall serve without compensation but

4may be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in performing 
5their duties.
6 (c) The Task Force shall meet at least once every 2 months 
7beginning on or before January 1, 2022 July 1, 2019, and at 
8other times as determined by the Task Force. Task Force

9members shall select from among themselves a chairperson or

10co-chairpersons at the initial Task Force meeting. 
11 (d) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide 
12administrative and other support to the Task Force.
13 (e) The Task Force shall prepare a report that summarizes 
14its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study. 
15The Task Force shall submit the report of its findings and 
16recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or 
17before June 1, 2023 by December 31, 2020. The Task Force is 
18dissolved, and this Section is repealed, on December 31, 2023 
192021. 

20(Source: P.A. 101-225, eff. 8-9-19.)