Bill Text: IL HB0618 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Veterans' Licensure and Workforce Task Force Act. Creates the Veterans' Licensure and Workforce Task Force to advise the Governor and General Assembly and work directly with State agencies and institutions of higher education to improve and expand policies, services, programs, and opportunities for service members, veterans, and their families. Provides specified subjects for the Task Force to review and make recommendations on. Requires the Task Force to prepare and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before December 1, 2022, and to other specified agencies in electronic form. Provides that the Act is repealed on December 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-10-06 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Mark L. Walker [HB0618 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB0618-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB0618 Introduced , by Rep. LaToya Greenwood SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Veterans' Licensure and Workforce Task Force Act. Creates the Veterans' Licensure and Workforce Task Force to advise the Governor and General Assembly and work directly with State agencies and institutions of higher education to improve and expand policies, services, programs, and opportunities for service members, veterans, and their families. Provides specified subjects for the Task Force to review and make recommendations on. Requires the Task Force to prepare and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before December 1, 2022, and to other specified agencies in electronic form. Provides that the Act is repealed on December 1, 2023. Effective immediately.
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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning veterans.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Veterans' Licensure and Workforce Task Force Act.
Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Institution of higher education" means the University of
Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State
University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State
University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois
University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois
University, a community college, as that term is defined under
Section 1-2 of the Public Community College Act, any college
under the Public Community College Act, and any institution
that receives funds under the Higher Education Student
Assistance Act.
"Military service member" means a current or former member
of an active, guard, or reserve component in the Army, Navy,
Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Space Force.
Section 10. Veterans' Licensure and Workforce Task Force.
(a) The Veterans' Licensure and Workforce Task Force is
created. The Task Force shall advise the Governor and General

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Assembly and work directly with State agencies and
institutions of higher education to improve and expand
policies, services, programs, and opportunities for military
service members, veterans, and their families.
(b) The Task Force shall review how various State entities
and institutions of higher education within the State accept
or deny military education, military training, military
service and experience, community involvement, independent
study, and professional and occupational licensing for various
careers, as well as the licenses that military spouses and
dependents carry from state to state. The Task Force shall
review how Illinois recognizes or denies accreditation from
regional and national accreditation boards and how that
impacts military service members, veterans, and their spouses
and dependent children.
(c) The Task Force shall review the costs that military
service members, veterans, and their families undertake for
re-certification and license renewal fees and the cost to the
military service member, veteran, or their family member and
to the government for again accomplishing higher education
coursework that the military service member, veteran, or their
family member has already accomplished through his or her
military education and training.
(d) The Task Force shall review how Army, Air Force, and
Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps credits are accepted from
cadets and midshipmen by institutions of higher education.

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(e) The Task Force shall make recommendations on how to
make Illinois more veteran-friendly regarding education,
training, and licenses already held by military service
members, veterans, and their families, with the goal of
reducing unemployment, homelessness, and financial hardships
among its military service member and veteran population,
attracting skilled veterans and their families to our State,
and empowering trained military service members and their
families to better provide for their families and contribute
to our economy sooner.
(f) The Task Force shall review and make recommendations
regarding professional and occupational licensing and the
difficulties encountered by military service members,
veterans, and their spouses and dependents, including, but not
limited to, exploring the licensing of those persons with
out-of-state licenses in equivalent occupations. The Task
Force shall make recommendations on how to best effectuate the
recognition of military experience for academic credit,
industry-recognized credentials, and college degrees.
(g) The Task Force shall assess ways the State can improve
the rate at which portability of licensures for military
service members, veterans, and their spouses is approved by
the State.
Section 15. Task Force members.
(a) The Task Force shall have 20 members, comprised as

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follows:
(1) The Director of Veterans' Affairs or the
Director's designee, who shall serve as chairperson.
(2) Two members from the House of Representatives,
appointed one each by the Speaker of the House and the
House Minority Leader.
(3) Two members of the Senate, appointed one each by
the President of the Senate and the Senate Minority
Leader.
(4) One veteran, appointed by the Director of
Veterans' Affairs.
(5) The Secretary of Financial and Professional
Regulation or the Secretary's designee.
(6) A representative from the Illinois Board of Higher
Education appointed by the Illinois Board of Higher
Education.
(7) A representative from the Illinois Community
College Board appointed by the Illinois Community College
Board.
(8) A representative from the Illinois Articulation
Initiative appointed by the Illinois Articulation
Initiative.
(9) Six representatives from a variety of veterans
organizations representing geographic diversity in the
State, including, but not limited to, members of various
war eras, different branches, different service

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components, military spouses, and college veteran support
services directors, appointed by the Director of Veterans'
Affairs.
(10) Four members, one of whom shall be appointed by
the chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee of the House
of Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the
minority spokesperson of the Veterans' Affairs Committee
of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be
appointed by the chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee
of the Senate, and one of whom shall be appointed by the
minority spokesperson of the Veterans Affairs Committee of
the Senate. Those appointed to the Task Force under this
paragraph shall be members of different Illinois counties'
Veterans Assistance Commissions, Veteran Service Officers,
and VITAS officials.
(b) Task Force members shall serve without compensation
but may be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in
performing their duties.
(c) The Task Force shall meet at least quarterly beginning
as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act,
and at other times as determined by the Task Force.
Section 20. Administrative support. The Department of
Veterans' Affairs shall provide administrative and other
support to the Task Force.

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Section 25. Study. The Task Force shall perform a study,
which shall review all of the following and make any
recommendations the Task Force deems appropriate:
(1) Any materials produced by the Military Prior
Learning Assessment Task Force, which was created by
Public Act 99-395, with an analysis of any shortcomings
relating to military service members, student veterans,
and Reserve Officer Training Corps members.
(2) The Educational Credit for Military Experience
Act, with an analysis of any shortcomings relating to
military service members, student veterans, and Reserve
Officer Training Corps members.
(3) Professional and occupational licensing and the
difficulties encountered by military service members,
veterans, and their spouses and dependents, including, but
not limited to, exploring the licensing of military
service members with out-of-state licenses in equivalent
occupations and how to best effectuate the recognition of
military experience for academic credit,
industry-recognized licenses, credentials, and college
degrees.
(4) The costs and burdens that military service
members, veterans, and their families undertake for
re-certification and license renewal fees.
(5) The costs and burdens, both to the veteran and to
the State and federal governments, for re-accomplishing

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higher education coursework that a veteran has already
taken through his or her military education and training,
as shown by the following:
(A) American Council on Education Military Guide;
(B) DD Form 2586 for Verification of Military
Experience and Training;
(C) Community College of the Air Force;
(D) Air University;
(E) College Level Examination Program;
(F) Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education
Support program;
(G) Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education
Support Subject Standardized Tests;
(H) Excelsior College Examinations;
(I) Air Force Institute of Technology;
(J) Department of Defense schools, such as the
Defense Language Institute;
(K) DA Form 1059 for Army Service School Academic
Evaluation Report;
(L) Non-commissioned officer evaluation reports;
(M) DD Form 295 for Application for the Evaluation
of Learning Experiences During Military Service;
(N) Joint Services Transcript, otherwise known as
the Sailor Marine Corps American Council on Education
Registry Transcript;
(O) Army American Council on Education Registry

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Transcript System;
(P) Coast Guard Institute; and
(Q) Servicemembers Opportunity College.
Section 30. Report. The Task Force shall submit a report
of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly
and to the Governor on or before December 1, 2022. An
electronic form of the report shall also be provided to each
relevant State agency, including, but not limited to, the
Department of Veterans' Affairs and Department of Financial
and Professional Regulation, and to the Illinois Board of
Higher Education, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois
Articulation Initiative, and to all public and private
institutions of higher education throughout the State.
Section 35. Repeal. This Act is repealed on December 1,
2023.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.