Lake County Gazette

In the latest slate of bills signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, there are a handful of bills sponsored and supported by Illinois Sen. Craig Wilcox, including several that provide support for veterans and their families. Wilcox issued a statement on Monday regarding these bills.

“The General Assembly took solid steps this year to improve the services provided to our veterans and their families. Each of these bills helps our military heroes in different and important ways," Wilcox, the Republican spokesperson for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said.

Pritzker signed five separate bills on Monday that aid veterans, current service members and the families of those who lost loved ones in military service. P

"The men and women of this state and this country who heed the call to serve deserve every possible support and protection during and after their time in the military," the governor said. "These bills weave together a more comprehensive safety net to protect and uplift veterans and service members dealing with the complexities of life in the military, including the many ways in which service can impact someone's family and loved ones. To the service members recognized by our newly designed Honor and Remember flag, we thank you for your ultimate sacrifice and mourn with your families and the rest of the state."

The first of those bills is House Bill 0925, which creates the Veteran Service Organizations State Charter Act and creates requirements for a veteran service organization to gain charter status, which lasts for five years. Originally submitted to the clerk by Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, on Dec. 6, 2022, this bill moved to the Senate on March 27, and was sent to Pritzker on June 15.

House Bill 3295 allows a state department to waive “any application, examination or licensure fee for a service member or the service member’s spouse." It was first filed by Rep. Harry Benton on Feb. 17, and sent to the Senate on March 27. It was sent to Pritzker on June 8 and approved on Monday.

Senate Bill 1072 designates the Honor and Remember Flag as a “symbol of the state’s concern for and commitment to honoring and remembering the lives of all members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have lost their lives while serving, or as a direct result of service, and their families.” It also lays out requirements for when and where this flag must be displayed.

House Bill 2856 requires death certificates to recognize an individual’s military service and whether that individual was “receiving a compensatory pension or benefit at the time of his or her death and whether or not illness or injury was a contributing cause in the death if they were receiving a compensatory pension."

The final bill in this group that focuses on service members and their families is House Bill 3103, which “allows a petition for a stalking no-contact order or civil no-contact order to be filed: by a member of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving within the State who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order; or by the Staff Judge Advocate of the Illinois National Guard or any reserve military component serving within the State on behalf of a named victim who is a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct who has also received a Military Protective Order only after receiving consent from the victim, and requires the petition to include a statement that the victim has consented to the Staff Judge Advocate filing the petition.”

Wilcox was first elected to the Illinois Senate in 2018. A Republican, their legislative experience includes serving on the Agriculture Committee and Appropriations I Committee. He is a state senator who resides in McHenry, according to the Illinois Senate.