Public Act 0703 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1716 Enrolled LRB094 03371 DRJ 33372 b

Public Act 094-0703

AN ACT concerning veterans.

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 changing Section 2.07 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2805/2.07) (from Ch. 126 1/2, par. 67.07)

Sec. 2.07. The Department shall employ and maintain sufficient and qualified staff at the veterans' homes to fulfill the requirements of this Act. The Department shall report to the General Assembly, by January 1 and July 1 of each year, the number of staff employed in providing direct patient care at their veterans' homes, the compliance or noncompliance with staffing standards established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for such care, and in the event of noncompliance with such standards, the number of staff required for compliance. For purposes of this Section, a nurse who has a license application pending with the State shall not be deemed unqualified by the Department if the nurse is in compliance with 225 ILCS 65/5-15(g) or 225 ILCS 5-15(i) of the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act.

All contracts between the State and outside contractors to provide workers to staff and service the Anna Veterans Home shall be canceled in accordance with the terms of those contracts. Upon cancellation, each worker or staff member shall be offered certified employment status under the Illinois Personnel Code with the State of Illinois. To the extent it is reasonably practicable, the position offered to each person shall be at the same facility and shall consist of the same duties and hours as previously existed under the canceled contract or contracts.

(Source: P.A. 93-597, eff. 8-26-03.)