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91_HB2967eng HB2967 Engrossed LRB9109440MWgc 1 AN ACT to create the Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor 2 Act. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 6 Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor Act. 7 Section 5. Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor. The 8 Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor shall be awarded annually 9 on Veterans Day to current or former members of the State 10 military forces or the United States armed forces, living or 11 dead, who have voluntarily performed a deed of personal 12 bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life that is so 13 conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the person for 14 gallantry and intrepidity above that person's comrades. 15 Awarding of the medal will be considered on the standard of 16 extraordinary merit. The medal may be awarded only on 17 incontestable proof of performance of the deed. In the event 18 that the person nominated for the award is deceased, the 19 medal may be awarded posthumously to a member of the 20 immediate family of the person nominated. 21 Section 10. Recommendations. An individual having 22 personal knowledge of an act, an achievement, or exceptional 23 service warranting the award of the Illinois Legislative 24 Medal of Valor may submit a letter of recommendation to the 25 Adjutant General. The letter of recommendation must give an 26 account of the occurrence of the deed and statements of 27 eyewitnesses, extracts from official records, sketches, maps, 28 diagrams, or photographs to support and amplify the stated 29 facts. HB2967 Engrossed -2- LRB9109440MWgc 1 Section 15. Procedure for review of recommendations; 2 Panel. 3 (a) The Adjutant General must transmit all letters of 4 recommendation for the Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor 5 and the supporting documentation for the recommendations to a 6 5-member panel consisting of one member of the public 7 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one 8 member of the public appointed by the President of the 9 Senate, one member of the public appointed by the Minority 10 Leader of the House of Representatives, and one member of the 11 public appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate. The 12 Adjutant General, or his or her designee, shall be an ex 13 officio member of the panel. The public members of the panel 14 must be veterans of the State military forces or the United 15 States armed forces. Members of the panel shall serve 16 without compensation, but may be reimbursed for their 17 reasonable and necessary expenses in connection with their 18 duties as members of the panel. 19 (b) The 5-member panel shall establish procedures for 20 submission and review of recommendations. If the panel 21 determines that a case meets the criteria established for 22 awarding of the Illinois Legislative Medal of Valor, the 23 panel shall recommend to the General Assembly the awarding of 24 the medal. 25 Section 20. Award. The Illinois Legislative Medal of 26 Valor may be awarded only on approval of a joint resolution 27 of the General Assembly. The Governor, or his or her 28 designee, shall confer the medal to the chosen recipient or 29 recipients in a ceremony on Veterans Day. 30 Section 25. Medal; ribbons; ceremonial plaque. The 31 General Assembly shall commission, through its 5-member 32 panel, the design and production of the Illinois Legislative HB2967 Engrossed -3- LRB9109440MWgc 1 Medal of Valor, an appropriate ribbon for uniform wear, a 2 lapel pin suitable for wear on civilian clothing, and a 3 permanent ceremonial plaque that shall be located in a place 4 of honor in the Statehouse Rotunda. 5 Section 30. Wear and display of ribbons and pins. 6 Active military personnel who are awarded the Illinois 7 Legislative Medal of Valor shall be presented with a uniform 8 ribbon. When wearing the ribbon, active military personnel 9 shall follow the guidelines established for their branch of 10 service. 11 Veterans who are awarded the Illinois Legislative Medal 12 of Valor shall be presented with a lapel pin suitable for 13 wear on civilian clothing. 14 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 15 becoming law.