McHenry Times

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed five bills sponsored and/or sponsored supported by Sen. Craig Wilcox, including several that provide support for veterans and their families, Wilcox reported July 31 in a news release on his Senate website.

“The General Assembly took solid steps this year to improve the services provided to our veterans and their families,” Wicox (R-32) said in the release. “Each of these bills helps our military heroes in different and important ways.”

According to the bill text, House Bill 0925 creates the Veteran Service Organizations State Charter Act and requirements for a veteran service organization to gain charter status, which will last for five years. Originally submitted to the clerk by Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, on Dec. 6 the bill moved to the Senate on March 27 and 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," according to the release. It was filed by Rep. harry Benton on Feb. 17 and sent to the Senate on March 27, then sent to Pritzker on July 8.

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 United States 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 release said.

House Bill 3103 "eases the process of obtaining a civil no-contact order of protection for victims and survivors of military sexual assault," the release said.

"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," Pritzker said in a release on his website. "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."

Wilcox was first elected to the Senate in 2018, according t"o his biography. He has served on the Agriculture Committee and Appropriations I Committee.