Section 101.10  Definitions

The following are definitions of terms used in this Part:

"Act" – means the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans' Dependents Educational Opportunity Grant Act [330 ILCS 105].

"Applicant" – means the applicant is the eligible veteran or serviceperson, or in the case of a deceased eligible veteran or serviceperson, the applicant is the parent or legal guardian of the child or children.

"Child" or "Children" − means an Illinois resident for at least 12 months immediately preceding their application as certified on such applications, and a:

biological child of the veteran;

legally adopted child of the veteran under the age of 18 at the time of adoption;

stepchild under the age of 18 at the time of marriage of an eligible veteran or serviceperson; or

minor child younger than 18 who is under a court-ordered guardianship for at least two continuous years prior to application [330 ILCS 105/1]; or

child of a partner in a civil union, established pursuant to the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act [750 ILCS 75], with the veteran at the time of application for benefits under this Part.

"Department" – means the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.

"Eligible veteran or serviceperson" − means any veteran or serviceperson, including an Illinois National Guard member, who is on active duty or is active on a training assignment:

who has:

been declared by the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be a prisoner of war or missing in action; or

been found by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to have died as the result of a service-connected disability or has become a person with a permanent disability from service-connected causes with 100% disability; or is 100% permanently and totally disabled by service-connected causes due to unemployability; and

who:

at the time of entering service was an Illinois resident;

was an Illinois resident within six months after entering such service; or

is a resident of Illinois at the time of application for the grant and, at some point after entering such service, was a resident of Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years; and

who:

did not receive a Bad Conduct discharge, Dishonorable/Undesirable discharge, or Dismissed discharge from the United States Armed Forces. [330 ILCS 105/1]

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 15652, effective October 21, 2024)