Giving veterans and local charities in smaller Illinois communities easier access to state and federal programs is the aim of two bills sponsored by State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) and approved by the Senate April 3.
Senate Bill 1368 allows counties that do not have a Veterans Assistance Commission to come together and create a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission that provides services to veterans and their families who reside in those participating counties.
State Rep. Kyle Moore of Quincy is sponsoring a similar initiative in the House of Representatives.
“This legislation expands on current Illinois law that already allows a county with one or more veterans’ organizations to form a Commission that will serve as a central service place for veterans and their families to search opportunities or questions they have about benefits,” Tracy said. “Senate Bill 1368 will allow smaller counties to either join with a larger county, or form within a judicial circuit a multi-county Commission to do the same thing.”
Senator Tracy’s second legislative measure, Senate Bill 1599, states that the Attorney General must offer charitable organizations and trustees the option of filing reports and statements electronically.
“Electronic filing helps local groups, especially those with limited staff, file reports in a more-timely manner. Illinois has seen a growing trend in modernizing various administrative processes by electronic filing methods across different sectors,” Tracy said. “Many other states have also made strides in allowing or requiring charitable organizations and trustees to file reports electronically.”
Both Senate Bills 1368 and 1599 were approved by unanimous votes in the Senate and now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
***Courtesy of Senator Jil Tracy***
