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 Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not require recipients of medical assistance who are also former foster care youth, veterans, or people experiencing homelessness to work a minimum amount of hours in order to maintain eligibility for medical assistance. Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall not require recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits who are also former foster care youth, veterans, or people experiencing homelessness to work a minimum amount of hours in order to maintain eligibility for SNAP benefits.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities and veterans of World War II, provides that, if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 50% or more, then the first $250,000 in equalized assessed value of the property is exempt from taxation under the Code (currently, if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 50% or more but less than 70%, the annual exemption is $5,000, and, if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 70% or more, then the first $250,000 in equalized assessed value of the property is exempt). Effective immediately.
Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Veterans Housing Protection Act. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation to refuse to sell or rent or to otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any buyer or renter who is a veteran because of the results of a criminal, credit, or eviction history records check. Provides that the prohibition against the use of the results of a veteran's criminal history records check shall not preclude an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or a real estate broker or salesman, from prohibiting the veteran, a member of the veteran's household, or a guest of the veteran from engaging in unlawful activity on the premises. Expands the Act's definition of "source of income" to include any federal, State, or local public assistance, and federal, State, or local housing subsidies, such as federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers, rental assistance under the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, and veterans' benefits. Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to administer a statewide Landlord Rental Guarantee Program which reimburses landlords up to $3,500 for damages or unpaid rent associated with veteran tenants using any federal, State, or local housing assistance or veterans' benefits to pay all or a portion of the rent. Provides that reimbursement payments shall be paid out of the Veterans Rental Guarantee Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. Requires the Department to also establish and administer a pilot program to increase affordable homeownership opportunities among the veteran population. Provides that under the pilot program veterans shall be able to use federal or State housing vouchers to partially subsidize homeownership expenses for up to 10 or 15 years depending on the mortgage term.
Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code. Provides that special purpose levies made for the purpose of funding a Veterans Assistance Commission are not included in a taxing district's aggregate extension.
Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that "redevelopment project costs" includes, among other things, costs of operations, infrastructure, and programming of not-for-profit veterans and military organizations located within the redevelopment project area, including organizations designated as tax-exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(19) of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Expands the definition of "source of income" to include any lawful, verifiable income paid directly to a veteran, or to a representative of a veteran, or paid to a housing owner or landlord on behalf of a veteran, including federal, State, or local public assistance, and federal, State, or local housing subsidies, including, but not limited to, federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers.
Amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act. Expands the Act to allow for the formation of multi-county Veterans Assistance Commissions. Provides that veteran service organizations located in 2 or more adjacent counties having a population of 60,000 or less may enter into an agreement to come together and jointly form a multi-county Veterans Assistance Commission to serve the adjacent counties in accordance with the Act. Provides that a multi-county Veterans Assistance Commission may also be formed under an agreement between an existing county Veterans Assistance Commission and a veteran service organization located in an adjacent county that is without a veterans assistance commission and has a population of 60,000 or less. Requires an agreement to form and maintain a multi-county Veterans Assistance Commission to set forth: (i) the distribution of funding with respect to each member county; (ii) the location of the Commission's office; (iii) the type of services provided; (iv) the superintendent selection or appointment process; (v) Commission rules and policies; and (vi) the composition of delegates and alternates on the Commission. Provides that multi-county Veterans Assistance Commissions shall have the same powers and duties under the Act as Veterans Assistance Commissions that serve one county. Makes corresponding changes in the Counties Code, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Drug Court Treatment Act, the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act, and the Mental Health Court Treatment Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act. Expands the Act to allow for the formation of multi-county Veterans Assistance Commissions. Provides that veteran service organizations located in 2 or more adjacent counties having a population of 60,000 or less may enter into an agreement to come together and jointly form a multi-county Veterans Assistance Commission to serve the adjacent counties in accordance with the Act. Provides that a multi-county Veterans Assistance Commission may also be formed under an agreement between an existing county Veterans Assistance Commission and a veteran service organization located in an adjacent county that is without a veterans assistance commission and has a population of 60,000 or less. Requires an agreement to form and maintain a multi-county Veterans Assistance Commission to set forth: (i) the distribution of funding with respect to each member county; (ii) the location of the Commission's office; (iii) the type of services provided; (iv) the superintendent selection or appointment process; (v) Commission rules and policies; and (vi) the composition of delegates and alternates on the Commission. Provides that multi-county Veterans Assistance Commissions shall have the same powers and duties under the Act as Veterans Assistance Commissions that serve one county. Makes corresponding changes in the Counties Code, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Drug Court Treatment Act, the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act, and the Mental Health Court Treatment Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that is owned by an immediate family caregiver of a veteran with a disability or a veteran of World War II is eligible for the homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities and veterans of World War II if the immediate family caregiver resides with the veteran on a full-time basis.
