Bill Text: IL HB0359 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill but replaces all references to "Office of the Governor's Executive Inspector General" with "Office of Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor."

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-6)

Status: (Passed) 2022-01-25 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0695 [HB0359 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB0359-Engrossed.html

---

HB0359 Engrossed LRB102 11611 KTG 16945 b
AN ACT concerning military service.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Department of Veterans' Affairs Act is
amended by adding Section 39 as follows:
(20 ILCS 2805/39 new)
Sec. 39. Veterans' Accountability Unit.
(a) The Department shall create a Veterans' Accountability
Unit which shall receive complaints and recommendations from:
(i) veterans and other Illinois residents who seek services
from the Department; (ii) residents of Veterans' Homes, their
families, and visitors; (iii) vendors and contractors of the
Department; and (iv) staff of the Department.
(b) The Governor shall appoint, and the Senate shall
confirm, the Director of the Veterans' Accountability Unit.
The Director shall be appointed for a term of 4 years.
(c) The Director of the Veterans' Accountability Unit
shall ensure that the Unit maintains regular office hours and
establishes both a toll-free helpline and a dedicated
electronic mail address for the purpose of accepting
complaints, information, and recommendations. The Director
shall provide a reasonable means for receiving complaints
outside of office hours.

HB0359 Engrossed - 2 - LRB102 11611 KTG 16945 b
(d) The Veterans' Accountability Unit shall function
independently of the Department. The salary and benefits of
the Director of the Veterans' Accountability Unit and any
other staff of the Unit, as deemed necessary by the Director,
along with all other expenses of the Unit shall be paid from
appropriations to the Department.
(e) The Director and staff of the Veterans' Accountability
Unit shall have the authority to access the offices or
facilities of the Department and the Veterans' Homes and shall
have access to all information, documents, and personnel of
the Department as needed to perform the duties of the
Veterans' Accountability Unit. It is the duty of every
employee of the Department to cooperate with the Veterans'
Accountability Unit. The Department shall provide the staff of
the Veterans' Accountability Unit with physical space in each
Department office and in each Veterans' Home to conduct
confidential business as needed to perform the work of the
Veterans' Accountability Unit.
(f) The Veterans' Accountability Unit shall ensure all
complaints, allegations, or incidents of possible misconduct,
misfeasance, malfeasance, or violations of rules, procedures,
or laws by any employee, service provider, or contractor of
the Department are reported to the Office of the Governor's
Executive Inspector General.
(g) The Office of the Governor's Executive Inspector
General shall assess the complaints, allegations, and

HB0359 Engrossed - 3 - LRB102 11611 KTG 16945 b
incidents and shall determine whether to (i) investigate, (ii)
refer to the appropriate agency, (iii) refer to any
appropriate law enforcement agency, (iv) request a response
from the Department to the complaint, allegations, or
incident, or (v) refer to the Veterans' Accountability Unit to
conduct further inquiry or review if necessary.
(h) The Director of the Veterans' Accountability Unit may
recommend changes to the Director of Veterans' Affairs
concerning Department policies or practices based upon
information learned or observations made by the Veterans'
Accountability Unit staff during the course of its duties. The
Director of the Veterans' Accountability Unit shall meet
regularly with the Office of the Governor's Executive
Inspector General to report this information to allow the
Office to determine whether further investigation is
necessary.
(i) The Veterans' Accountability Unit shall create an
annual report that includes a summary of the complaints
received and actions taken in response. This report shall not
include any referrals to the Office of the Governor's
Executive Inspector General that result in an investigation.
The summaries shall not contain any confidential or
identifying information concerning the subjects or
complainants of the reports and investigations.
(j) Nothing in this Section shall limit investigations by
the Department of Veterans' Affairs that may otherwise be

HB0359 Engrossed - 4 - LRB102 11611 KTG 16945 b
required by law or that may be necessary in that Department's
capacity as the central administrative authority on matters
concerning services to veterans, their survivors, and
dependents.