IL
Illinois House Bill HB3403

Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB3403 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
OldNewDifferences
11 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3403 Introduced , by Rep. Joyce Mason SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act Creates the Veterans Bill of Rights Act. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to make specified efforts to: (1) increase loans to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans or service-disabled veterans; (2) increase veterans' access to health care coverage and services; (3) take specified steps toward preventing veteran suicide; and (4) develop and implement a strategy to end veteran homelessness within 3 years. Directs the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to review all State licenses for which military service members may have relevant training or experience, produce a report recommending steps that can be taken to increase recognition of military training and experience toward licensing, and take those steps within one year of issuing the report. Contains provisions regarding veterans at public institutions of higher education receiving college credit, registering for courses, and being called to active duty. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to annually review apprentice, training, and other vocational programs focused on providing job training and placement to returning military service members and veterans. Contains other provisions. LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3403 Introduced , by Rep. Joyce Mason SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act New Act Creates the Veterans Bill of Rights Act. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to make specified efforts to: (1) increase loans to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans or service-disabled veterans; (2) increase veterans' access to health care coverage and services; (3) take specified steps toward preventing veteran suicide; and (4) develop and implement a strategy to end veteran homelessness within 3 years. Directs the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to review all State licenses for which military service members may have relevant training or experience, produce a report recommending steps that can be taken to increase recognition of military training and experience toward licensing, and take those steps within one year of issuing the report. Contains provisions regarding veterans at public institutions of higher education receiving college credit, registering for courses, and being called to active duty. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to annually review apprentice, training, and other vocational programs focused on providing job training and placement to returning military service members and veterans. Contains other provisions. LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b A BILL FOR
22 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3403 Introduced , by Rep. Joyce Mason SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
33 New Act New Act
44 New Act
55 Creates the Veterans Bill of Rights Act. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to make specified efforts to: (1) increase loans to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans or service-disabled veterans; (2) increase veterans' access to health care coverage and services; (3) take specified steps toward preventing veteran suicide; and (4) develop and implement a strategy to end veteran homelessness within 3 years. Directs the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to review all State licenses for which military service members may have relevant training or experience, produce a report recommending steps that can be taken to increase recognition of military training and experience toward licensing, and take those steps within one year of issuing the report. Contains provisions regarding veterans at public institutions of higher education receiving college credit, registering for courses, and being called to active duty. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to annually review apprentice, training, and other vocational programs focused on providing job training and placement to returning military service members and veterans. Contains other provisions.
66 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
77 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
88 A BILL FOR
99 HB3403LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
1010 HB3403 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
1111 1 AN ACT concerning veterans.
1212 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
1313 3 represented in the General Assembly:
1414 4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
1515 5 Veterans Bill of Rights Act.
1616 6 Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
1717 7 "Department" means the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
1818 8 "EMS personnel" has the same meaning provided in Section
1919 9 3.5 of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act.
2020 10 "Public institution of higher education" has the same
2121 11 meaning provided in Section 10 of the Illinois Prepaid Tuition
2222 12 Act.
2323 13 Section 10. Loans to veteran business concerns; monthly
2424 14 reports.
2525 15 (a) The Department may target any loans granted by the
2626 16 Department toward small business concerns owned and controlled
2727 17 by veterans or service-disabled veterans, with a goal of 7% of
2828 18 annual loaned funds reaching such businesses.
2929 19 (b) The Department shall produce monthly electronic
3030 20 reports of workforce need projections by industry, job type,
3131 21 geography, and credentials needed. The report shall include a
3232 22 comparison of workforce needs to existing and projected
3333
3434
3535
3636 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3403 Introduced , by Rep. Joyce Mason SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3737 New Act New Act
3838 New Act
3939 Creates the Veterans Bill of Rights Act. Requires the Department of Veterans' Affairs to make specified efforts to: (1) increase loans to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans or service-disabled veterans; (2) increase veterans' access to health care coverage and services; (3) take specified steps toward preventing veteran suicide; and (4) develop and implement a strategy to end veteran homelessness within 3 years. Directs the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to review all State licenses for which military service members may have relevant training or experience, produce a report recommending steps that can be taken to increase recognition of military training and experience toward licensing, and take those steps within one year of issuing the report. Contains provisions regarding veterans at public institutions of higher education receiving college credit, registering for courses, and being called to active duty. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to annually review apprentice, training, and other vocational programs focused on providing job training and placement to returning military service members and veterans. Contains other provisions.
4040 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
4141 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
4242 A BILL FOR
4343
4444
4545
4646
4747
4848 New Act
4949
5050
5151
5252 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
5353
5454
5555
5656
5757
5858
5959
6060
6161
6262 HB3403 LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
6363
6464
6565 HB3403- 2 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 2 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
6666 HB3403 - 2 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
6767 1 workforce and credential availability in Illinois, a list of
6868 2 top in-demand industries, job types, and credentials by
6969 3 geographic area, and a mapping of which in-demand job titles
7070 4 and credentials would leverage skills, experience, and
7171 5 credentials possessed by veterans. The Department shall
7272 6 forward the report monthly to appropriate military
7373 7 out-placement offices, education centers, nonprofit programs,
7474 8 and any State agencies working to connect veterans with jobs.
7575 9 Section 15. Recognition of military training and
7676 10 experience.
7777 11 (a) The Department shall take all necessary steps to
7878 12 annually increase the number of veterans taking advantage of
7979 13 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Military
8080 14 Skills Test Waiver Program. These steps shall include, but are
8181 15 not limited to, ensuring information on the Program is
8282 16 accessible on the Department's website, coordinating with
8383 17 military placement and training programs, including, but not
8484 18 limited to, the Credentialing Opportunities On-Line program,
8585 19 and disseminating information on the Program to veterans with
8686 20 relevant experience who are newly located or locating in
8787 21 Illinois.
8888 22 (b) The Department of Public Health shall immediately
8989 23 review all licensing practices and take all necessary and
9090 24 appropriate steps to increase recognition of military training
9191 25 and experience toward licensing of EMS personnel. Within one
9292
9393
9494
9595
9696
9797 HB3403 - 2 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
9898
9999
100100 HB3403- 3 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 3 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
101101 HB3403 - 3 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
102102 1 year after the effective date of this Act, the Department of
103103 2 Public Health shall report to the General Assembly any
104104 3 additional steps that may require legislation and request that
105105 4 the General Assembly pass that legislation.
106106 5 (c) The Department of Financial and Professional
107107 6 Regulation shall review all State licenses for which military
108108 7 service members may have relevant training or experience and,
109109 8 within one year after the effective date of this Act, produce a
110110 9 report recommending steps that can be taken to increase
111111 10 recognition of military training and experience toward
112112 11 licensing. As soon as practicable, but by no later than one
113113 12 year after issuance of the report, the Department of Financial
114114 13 and Professional Regulation shall then take any steps
115115 14 identified in the report that can be taken without further
116116 15 legislation and shall report to the General Assembly annually
117117 16 to request it enact any necessary legislation.
118118 17 Section 20. College credit; course registration; students
119119 18 called to active duty.
120120 19 (a) A veteran who enrolls as a student in good standing at
121121 20 a public institution of higher education shall upon
122122 21 application be granted academic credits without limitation
123123 22 toward his or her degree for completion of courses that were
124124 23 part of the veteran's military training or service if the
125125 24 completed courses meet the standards of the American Council
126126 25 on Education, or its equivalent, for the awarding of academic
127127
128128
129129
130130
131131
132132 HB3403 - 3 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
133133
134134
135135 HB3403- 4 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 4 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
136136 HB3403 - 4 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
137137 1 credits. No fee, tuition, or other charge shall be assessed
138138 2 against a veteran who qualifies for academic credit under this
139139 3 subsection.
140140 4 (b) A public institution of higher education that offers
141141 5 an early course registration period for any segment of the
142142 6 student population shall have a process in place to offer
143143 7 early course registration to students who are veterans or
144144 8 National Guard members. A veteran with no previous college
145145 9 experience shall be permitted to file applications up to the
146146 10 end of registration and begin classes pending completion of
147147 11 his or her application and provision of supporting documents.
148148 12 (c) A student who is called to active duty in the armed
149149 13 forces of the United States after having attended a public
150150 14 institution of higher education regularly for 13 weeks or
151151 15 more, or having completed 85% of the term's work through
152152 16 acceleration, shall be given full credit for each course in
153153 17 which he or she has a grade of C or better. A student called to
154154 18 active duty who does not meet attendance requirements
155155 19 sufficient to earn a grade shall be entitled to a 100% refund
156156 20 of tuition and fees. Upon a veteran's return from active duty,
157157 21 he or she may register after normal registration periods end
158158 22 without late fees or other penalties.
159159 23 (d) A public institution of higher education shall adopt
160160 24 any and all procedures that are necessary to fully implement
161161 25 this Section.
162162
163163
164164
165165
166166
167167 HB3403 - 4 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
168168
169169
170170 HB3403- 5 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 5 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
171171 HB3403 - 5 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
172172 1 Section 25. Training programs. The Department of Commerce
173173 2 and Economic Opportunity shall annually review apprentice,
174174 3 training, and other vocational programs focused on providing
175175 4 job training and placement to returning military service
176176 5 members and veterans. The annual review shall evaluate the
177177 6 costs and results and recommend programs for expansion using
178178 7 State funding, including, but not limited to, an estimate of
179179 8 future returns to the State of improved outcomes from the
180180 9 expansion of programs. The Department of Commerce and Economic
181181 10 Opportunity shall provide an annual report to the General
182182 11 Assembly and Governor on January 1 of each year for 5 years
183183 12 after the effective date of this Act, to be used by the General
184184 13 Assembly to inform annual budget decisions.
185185 14 Section 30. Access to health care.
186186 15 (a) The Department shall develop and operate veteran
187187 16 health navigator services to increase access to health care
188188 17 coverage and services. The Department shall identify, train,
189189 18 and deploy veteran health navigators who have direct knowledge
190190 19 of the veteran communities they serve. Leveraging existing
191191 20 resources and structures where veterans and their families are
192192 21 likely to be found, the veteran health navigators shall:
193193 22 (1) help identify all federal and other health
194194 23 benefits, coverage, and services available to veterans and
195195 24 their families; and
196196 25 (2) coordinate with relevant departments, health care
197197
198198
199199
200200
201201
202202 HB3403 - 5 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
203203
204204
205205 HB3403- 6 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 6 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
206206 HB3403 - 6 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
207207 1 providers, and health insurance programs to help veterans
208208 2 and their beneficiaries apply for coverage under such
209209 3 programs, including helping veterans overcome barriers
210210 4 within the health care system to ensure enrollment in
211211 5 health plans and effective delivery and coordination of
212212 6 health services.
213213 7 (b) Using the veteran health services and navigators
214214 8 described in subsection (a) as a source of information about
215215 9 the unique needs, coverage, and treatment gaps faced by
216216 10 veterans and their families, the Department shall examine all
217217 11 existing programs designed to increase access to affordable,
218218 12 quality health care and evaluate whether the needs of veterans
219219 13 and their families are met by those programs or whether
220220 14 further coordination with the veteran health navigators or
221221 15 other steps would better meet the needs of veterans and their
222222 16 families. The Department shall then produce a report of its
223223 17 findings, recommendations, and any additional legislative or
224224 18 budget action it recommends, deliver that report to the
225225 19 General Assembly and the Governor, and release it to the news
226226 20 media.
227227 21 (c) The Department shall prepare a report showing the
228228 22 impacts that Medicaid expansion has had to date for the
229229 23 community of veterans and their families in Illinois,
230230 24 including any recommendations for better including or serving
231231 25 veterans and their families in that expansion. The Department
232232 26 shall deliver that report to the General Assembly and the
233233
234234
235235
236236
237237
238238 HB3403 - 6 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
239239
240240
241241 HB3403- 7 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 7 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
242242 HB3403 - 7 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
243243 1 Governor and release it to the news media.
244244 2 Section 35. Suicide prevention.
245245 3 (a) The Department shall ensure that access to mental
246246 4 health coverage, services, and treatment is included as a full
247247 5 focus stream of the veteran health navigator services
248248 6 described in subsection (a) of Section 30, and that veteran
249249 7 health navigators help identify all federal and other mental
250250 8 health benefits, coverage, and services available to veterans
251251 9 and their families, including, but not limited to, those
252252 10 relating to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and
253253 11 suicide prevention.
254254 12 (b) In coordination with local, State, and federal
255255 13 governmental agencies, and in consultation with nonprofits,
256256 14 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, localities,
257257 15 municipalities that have effective prevention and treatment
258258 16 systems for mental health, and service providers such as
259259 17 Veterans Affairs medical centers, the Department shall develop
260260 18 and implement a strategy to reduce barriers to access to
261261 19 mental health services and treatment for veterans and their
262262 20 families. The Department shall develop the strategy using
263263 21 methods including, but not limited to, the following:
264264 22 (1) Identifying structural and logistical barriers to
265265 23 accessing treatment, including, but not limited to,
266266 24 perceived stigma, long travel distances to receive care,
267267 25 and any other barriers. The Department shall create an
268268
269269
270270
271271
272272
273273 HB3403 - 7 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
274274
275275
276276 HB3403- 8 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 8 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
277277 HB3403 - 8 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
278278 1 annual report on the barriers, which shall be delivered to
279279 2 the General Assembly and the Governor and made available
280280 3 on the Department's website.
281281 4 (2) Resolving all barriers identified in paragraph (1)
282282 5 that can be resolved without legislative or budgetary
283283 6 action, including, but not limited to, the following:
284284 7 (A) increased coordination between State agencies,
285285 8 nonprofit providers, and the federal government;
286286 9 (B) application for and use of private and federal
287287 10 grants; and
288288 11 (C) any other actions.
289289 12 (3) Reporting annually to the General Assembly and the
290290 13 Governor and making available on the Department's website
291291 14 any additional legislative or budgetary steps that would
292292 15 resolve the barriers identified in paragraph (1) that have
293293 16 not been resolved by the steps taken in paragraph (2).
294294 17 (c) In coordination with local, State, and federal
295295 18 governmental agencies, and in consultation with nonprofits,
296296 19 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, localities, cities
297297 20 that have effective prevention and treatment systems for
298298 21 mental health, and service providers such as Veterans Affairs
299299 22 medical centers, the Department shall enhance and strengthen
300300 23 suicide prevention programs in keeping with proven best
301301 24 practices and research, using methods including, but not
302302 25 limited to, the following:
303303 26 (1) Identifying and applying for federal and private
304304
305305
306306
307307
308308
309309 HB3403 - 8 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
310310
311311
312312 HB3403- 9 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 9 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
313313 HB3403 - 9 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
314314 1 grants focused on veteran suicide prevention.
315315 2 (2) Coordinating local, State, federal, and nonprofit
316316 3 programs that include community-based approaches for
317317 4 at-risk veterans and veterans at large.
318318 5 (3) Providing technical assistance to communities to
319319 6 develop strategic plans to reduce veteran suicide,
320320 7 including, but not limited to, coordination and
321321 8 participation by local leaders, faith communities,
322322 9 schools, workplaces, and other stakeholders.
323323 10 (4) Evaluating community strategic plans within
324324 11 Illinois and disseminating methods and best practices to
325325 12 optimize the impact of efforts by all partners and
326326 13 stakeholders.
327327 14 (d) The Department shall create a centralized provider
328328 15 database, identifying, by region, mental health providers with
329329 16 the expertise and ability to assist veterans and their
330330 17 families. The database shall highlight providers with training
331331 18 or experience in the prevention and treatment of veteran
332332 19 suicide.
333333 20 (e) Using existing resources, and incorporating best
334334 21 practices and research from the U.S. Department of Veterans
335335 22 Affairs and State and nonprofit service providers in Illinois,
336336 23 the Department shall develop a continuing education course for
337337 24 mental health providers in Illinois to obtain expertise in
338338 25 veteran suicide assessment, prevention, treatment, and risk
339339 26 management and shall make the program available for free to
340340
341341
342342
343343
344344
345345 HB3403 - 9 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
346346
347347
348348 HB3403- 10 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 10 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
349349 HB3403 - 10 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
350350 1 providers in regions of the State lacking sufficiently trained
351351 2 providers, as determined by the database created under
352352 3 subsection (d).
353353 4 (f) Using existing or appropriated resources, the
354354 5 Department shall identify evidence-based best practices to
355355 6 increase awareness of any veteran suicide prevention hotline
356356 7 and other crisis resources in Illinois or nationally with
357357 8 proven effectiveness in reducing veteran suicide.
358358 9 Section 40. Strategy for ending veteran homelessness.
359359 10 (a) In coordination with local, State, and federal
360360 11 governmental agencies and nonprofits, and in consultation with
361361 12 states and municipalities that have achieved an end to veteran
362362 13 homelessness, the Department shall develop and implement a
363363 14 strategy to end veteran homelessness within 3 years. The
364364 15 strategy shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
365365 16 (1) Coordinated community outreach and a common
366366 17 assessment tool.
367367 18 (2) A community-wide, comprehensive list of veterans
368368 19 by name who are experiencing homelessness, prioritized
369369 20 based on vulnerability.
370370 21 (3) Data-sharing among all relevant providers, State
371371 22 agencies, and Veterans Affairs medical centers.
372372 23 (4) Increased coordination and streamlined processes
373373 24 for appropriate housing placements.
374374 25 (5) Connecting veterans experiencing homelessness to
375375
376376
377377
378378
379379
380380 HB3403 - 10 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
381381
382382
383383 HB3403- 11 -LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b HB3403 - 11 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
384384 HB3403 - 11 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b
385385
386386
387387
388388
389389
390390 HB3403 - 11 - LRB104 10702 KTG 20781 b