Bill Text: IL SR1186 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Performance audit of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 25-1)

Status: (Passed) 2018-02-21 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford [SR1186 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-SR1186-Introduced.html

---

SR1186 LRB100 16326 ALS 31452 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Quincy Veterans' Home, founded in 1886, is the
largest and oldest of the Illinois Veteran Homes; and
WHEREAS, The Quincy Home has approximately 400 residents
and employs over 500 full-time staff; and
WHEREAS, Legionnaires' disease is a severe, often lethal,
form of pneumonia caused by a bacterium found in both potable
and nonpotable water systems; and
WHEREAS, In July 2015, the first cases of Legionnaires'
disease were discovered at the Quincy Veterans' Home and would
shortly claim the lives of twelve residents; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, more than fifty residents and staff
contracted Legionnaires' disease, leading to the death of
another resident veteran; and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control conducted a study
of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak at the Quincy Veterans'
Home in 2015 and had an extensive list of recommendations for
the Home; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, the Quincy Veterans' Home followed the

SR1186 - 2 - LRB100 16326 ALS 31452 r
recommendations of the CDC and completed renovations of parts
of its plumbing system, which included the construction of a
water treatment plant capable of providing higher quality
water; and
WHEREAS, In Fall 2017, an additional three residents
contracted Legionnaires' disease after infrastructure updates
were made; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Auditor General is
directed to conduct a performance audit of the Illinois
Department of Veterans' Affairs' management of Legionnaires'
disease outbreaks; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this performance audit include, but not be
limited to, the following determinations:
(1) The responses of the Department of Veterans'
Affairs to the outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in 2015,
2016, and 2017, including the recommendations made in the
2015 study by the Centers for Disease Control and the
Department's actions to address those recommendations;
(2) The type, cost, and timing of any infrastructure or
other building improvements intended to contain the
further spread of Legionnaires' disease or prevent its
reoccurrence;

SR1186 - 3 - LRB100 16326 ALS 31452 r
(3) The nature of changes made by the Department in
operating protocols and staff training thereon, intended
to contain the further spread of Legionnaires' disease or
prevent its reoccurrence;
(4) The nature and extent of monitoring conducted by
the Department to determine whether the improvements and
protocols put in place are effective to ensure the safety
of residents and staff at the Quincy Veterans' Home;
(5) The amount of State moneys received and the amount
of state moneys expended by the Department or any other
State agency during State fiscal years 2015, 2016, 2017,
and 2018 for infrastructure improvements, monitoring, and
other measures taken to address the Legionnaires' disease
outbreaks; and
(6) To the extent information is available, whether the
Quincy Veterans' Home has been the subject of any reviews
since 2015 to determine its compliance with applicable laws
and regulations with regard to the care of its residents
and, if so, the results of those reviews; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Veterans'
Affairs and any other State agency or other entity or person
that may have information relevant to this audit cooperate
fully and promptly with the Auditor General's Office in its
audit; and be it further

SR1186 - 4 - LRB100 16326 ALS 31452 r
RESOLVED, That the Auditor General commence this audit as
soon as practical and report its findings and recommendations
upon completion in accordance with the provisions of Section
3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the Auditor General.