VETS HOMES TASK FORCE

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HJR0059 - 104th General Assembly

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HJ0059
LRB104 21391 MST 36362 r
1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

2

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is home to approximately
3
550,000 veterans, representing one of the largest veteran
4
populations in the Midwest, including tens of thousands of
5
aging and disabled veterans who require long-term care,
6
skilled nursing, memory care, and specialized medical
7
services; and

8

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
9
(IDVA) operates Illinois Veterans Homes that provide
10
high-quality, specialized, and affordable long-term care to
11
eligible veterans, including services tailored to
12
combat-related injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder,
13
traumatic brain injury, and age-related conditions; and

14

WHEREAS, Illinois Veterans Homes serve thousands of
15
residents each year, yet demand continues to exceed capacity
16
in several regions of the State as the veteran population
17
ages, with a growing number of veterans over the age of 65 and
18
an increasing need for skilled nursing and memory care
19
services; and

20

WHEREAS, National and state data demonstrate that veterans
21
are more likely than non-veterans to experience chronic health
22
conditions and disabilities, and many rely on fixed or limited

HJ0059
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LRB104 21391 MST 36362 r
1
incomes, making affordable, state-supported, long-term care
2
options critically important; and

3

WHEREAS, The affordability of Illinois Veterans Homes is a
4
critical component of their value, as the average private
5
nursing home cost in Illinois exceeds $108,000 per year, while
6
Veterans Homes offer care at a significantly reduced cost,
7
ensuring that low and moderate-income veterans are not forced
8
to forgo needed long-term care or exhaust lifetime savings;
9
and

10

WHEREAS, The geographic distribution of existing Illinois
11
Veterans Homes results in significant travel distances for
12
many veterans and their families, particularly in rural,
13
downstate, and underserved regions, creating barriers to
14
access, family visitation, and continuity of care; and

15

WHEREAS, Expanding Illinois Veterans Homes and
16
strategically locating future facilities would strengthen the
17
State's commitment to those who have served, improve health
18
outcomes, reduce isolation among aging veterans, and ensure
19
equitable access to long-term care services across Illinois;
20
therefore, be it

21

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
22
HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE

HJ0059
- 3 -
LRB104 21391 MST 36362 r
1
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Veterans Homes
2
Expansion Task Force is created to study the need for the
3
expansion of high-quality, specialized, and affordable
4
long-term care for aged and disabled veterans through the
5
Illinois Veterans Homes system, specifically evaluating and
6
identifying the following:
7

(1) Areas of the State with the greatest unmet demand
8

for Veterans Home services;
9

(2) Geographic locations that would offer the greatest
10

accessibility to veterans and their families;
11

(3) Opportunities to reduce regional disparities in
12

access to long-term care; and
13

(4) Considerations related to workforce availability,
14

infrastructure, transportation, and proximity to VA and
15

medical services; and be it further

16

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
17

following members who shall serve without compensation:
18

(1) One member of the House of Representatives
19

appointed by the Speaker of the House;
20

(2) One member of the House of Representatives
21

appointed by the House Minority Leader;
22

(3) One member of the Senate appointed by the Senate
23

President;
24

(4) One member of the Senate appointed by the Senate
25

Minority Leader;

HJ0059
- 4 -
LRB104 21391 MST 36362 r
1

(5) Three members appointed by the Director of the
2

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs;
3

(6) Two members representing the Veterans of Foreign
4

Wars Department of Illinois nominated by the State
5

Commander and appointed by the Governor;
6

(7) One member representing The American Legion
7

Department of Illinois nominated by the Department
8

Commander and appointed by the Speaker of the House;
9

(8) One member representing Illinois AMVETS nominated
10

by the Commander and appointed by the House Minority
11

Leader;
12

(9) One member representing Illinois Joining Forces
13

nominated by the Executive Director and appointed by the
14

Senate President;
15

(10) One member representing an Illinois-based chapter
16

of the Veterans Assistance Commissions nominated by the
17

chapter and appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; and
18

(11) One member representing an 501(c)(19) veterans
19

organization operating within each Illinois Department of
20

Veterans Affairs region appointed by the Director of the
21

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs; and be it further

22

RESOLVED, That initial appointments to the Task Force
23
shall be made no more than three months after adoption of this
24
resolution, and if a vacancy occurs in the Task Force
25
membership it shall be filled in the same manner as the

HJ0059
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LRB104 21391 MST 36362 r
1
original appointment; and be it further

2

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
3
shall provide technical assistance, administrative support,
4
and relevant data to the Task Force as necessary to carry out
5
its duties; and be it further

6

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold its first meeting
7
at the call of the co-chairs and meet at least once per month
8
until it completes its work; and be it further

9

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall submit a written
10
report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and
11
the General Assembly no later than January 7, 2027, and upon
12
the filing of this report, the Task Force is dissolved; and be
13
it further

14

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
15
delivered to the Speaker of the House, the House Minority
16
Leader, the Senate President, the Senate Minority Leader, the
17
Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, and
18
the Governor.

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