Veterans

This bill designates the Fayette Avenue overpass at the intersection of Interstates 57 and 70 in Effingham as the "Sgt. Timothy Sayne Memorial Overpass." It honors Sergeant Timothy Sayne, a local resident who served in the U.S. Army and was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2011. The legislation requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to install signs or plaques at the site to officially mark the overpass with this new name. Copies of the resolution will be provided to Sergeant Sayne's family and the state transportation department to formalize the memorial.

This bill designates the Fourth Street Interstate 57 and 70 overpass in Effingham as the "Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Donaldson Memorial Overpass" to honor a local resident who served in the U.S. Army. The legislation requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to install signs at the site to display the new name and to present copies of the resolution to the soldier's family, the mayor of Effingham, and the state transportation secretary. It directly affects the naming of a specific public infrastructure project in Effingham and involves the state transportation department in implementing the commemorative signage.

Urges the Illinois Department of Corrections and the Office of the Architect of the Capitol to establish a Corrections Fallen Heroes Memorial on the State Capitol grounds. Recognizes the inherent danger and risk that correctional employees confront daily while serving a critical public safety mission. Affirms that the State's fallen heroes are deserving of a public memorial honoring the sacrifice they made.

Creates the Illinois Veterans Homes Expansion Task Force to study the need for the expansion of high-quality, specialized, and affordable long-term care for aged and disabled veterans through the Illinois Veterans Homes system.

Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Requires all service officers and any supervisors, including the field manager, within the field division to be currently serving reservists or national guardsmen in good standing or honorably discharged veterans from service in the Armed Forces of the United States, active or reserve component. Removes a requirement that service officers and supervisors serve during a time of hostilities with a foreign country and meet one or more listed conditions.

HJR 48 designates a specific stretch of Illinois Route 131 (from the state line south to Illinois Route 173) as the "Lance Corporal Russell Rowe Memorial Highway" to honor a Marine Corps veteran who died in service during the 1965 Dominican Republic intervention. The resolution requests the Illinois Department of Transportation to install appropriate signs along this highway segment to commemorate his sacrifice. This bill does not create new laws or affect regulations, but formally names a public roadway in recognition of L.Cpl. Russell Rowe's service and death.

Creates the Servicemember Education Rights Veneration Act. Requires institutions of higher education (institution) to accommodate service member student's academic military leave and grant prompt readmission when the service member student has not exceeded a cumulative academic military leave period beyond 5 years, provides advance notice of academic military leave to the institution, and provides notice of intent to return to the institution. Requires the institution to readmit a service member student on academic military leave into the next class, classes, or academic year division following the receipt of the notice of intent to return in accordance with the terms of the accommodation. Contains provisions on exemptions to readmission and related reporting requirements on service member students; investigations by the Attorney General's appointed ISERRA Advocate on whether a readmission exemption exists; and other matters. Requires service member students to provide advance notice of pending military service and prohibits institutions from imposing conditions for academic military leave not otherwise imposed under the Act. Contains provisions on military accommodation; academic obligations of service member students; reimbursement for school expenses; academic withdrawal due to military service; rejection of accommodation and the institution's burden of proof; a 5-year military service limitation; records documentation; advance notice requirements on service member students; notice of intent to return; anti-discrimination protections; academic leave for the spouses of servicemembers; Attorney General enforcement authority; remedies; rulemaking authority; and other matters.

HJR 1 designates a specific section of Bond Avenue in Centreville, from South 43rd Street to South 47th Street, as the "Lt. Gregory Jonas Memorial Avenue." This bill honors Lt. Gregory Jonas by naming a public road after him.

HJR 6 designates a specific section of Illinois Route 140. This portion of the highway, as it travels through Meadowbrook, will be officially named the "Cpl. Tommy N. Miller Memorial Highway" in honor of Cpl. Tommy N. Miller.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the Governor shall annually designate by official proclamation the third Friday of September in each year as POW/MIA Recognition Day (rather than the third Friday of September in each year is designated as POW/MIA Recognition Day) to be observed in honor and remembrance of the men and women who, as POWs, have suffered captivity in foreign countries while in active service with the United States armed forces or who, as MIAs, have been recognized as missing in action in a time of war or during a period of hostilities (rather than who were recognized as POWs or MIAs in a time of war or during a period of hostilities). Provides that the Governor shall request, in the Governor's annual designation by official proclamation, that some portion of the third Friday of September be used for solemn contemplation on the plight of members of the United States armed forces who have been held prisoners of war and members of the United States armed forces who have been missing in action and the resolve of families and friends who continue to seek the fullest possible accounting for missing loved ones. Effective immediately.