Rockford Sun

Dave Vella introduced HB1059 in the Illinois House on Jan. 9, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act. Defines "veteran" to mean any person who (i) served on active duty in the armed forces for at least 90 days and whose last discharge or release was under conditions other than dishonorable; or (ii) served on active duty, to include active duty solely for training purposes, in the armed forces, and was awarded a service-connected disability or who died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable; or (iii) served in the National Guard or as a reservist in any branch of the armed forces, including active duty solely for training purposes, and was awarded a service-connected disability or who died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable; or (iv) is determined to be a veteran according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; provided, that in any case, the service of such person qualified under items (i) through (iv) was entered into or served in Illinois, or such person has resided in the State for one day, except for the purpose of determining the residential eligibility of a deceased veteran's dependents."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act in Illinois by redefining "veteran" to include individuals who served on active duty in the armed forces for at least 90 days with a discharge other than dishonorable, those who served specifically for training purposes and were awarded a service-connected disability or died in service under non-dishonorable conditions, and any National Guard or reserve members meeting similar criteria. It stipulates that such service must have been entered into or performed in Illinois, or the individual must have resided in Illinois for at least one day. The bill also defines a "veteran service organization" as an entity charitably assisting the veteran community, requiring a minimum membership of 15 individuals. The bill clarifies that it does not alter the authority of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Dave Vella has proposed another 10 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Vella graduated from Augustana College with a BA and again in 1997 from Northern Illinois University with a JD.

Dave Vella is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 68th House District. He replaced previous state representative John M. Cabello in 2021.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB1059	01/09/2025	Amends the Military Veterans Assistance Act. Defines "veteran" to mean any person who (i) served on active duty in the armed forces for at least 90 days and whose last discharge or release was under conditions other than dishonorable; or (ii) served on active duty, to include active duty solely for training purposes, in the armed forces, and was awarded a service-connected disability or who died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable; or (iii) served in the National Guard or as a reservist in any branch of the armed forces, including active duty solely for training purposes, and was awarded a service-connected disability or who died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable; or (iv) is determined to be a veteran according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; provided, that in any case, the service of such person qualified under items (i) through (iv) was entered into or served in Illinois, or such person has resided in the State for one day, except for the purpose of determining the residential eligibility of a deceased veteran's dependents.
HB1051	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Water Well Construction Code. Provides that the minimum lateral setback distance between a closed-loop well and a storm sewer, sanitary sewer, combined sewer, or any other potential source of contamination is 5 feet. Specifies that setbacks from footing drains and pits, crawl spaces, and basements do not apply to closed-loop wells.
HB1052	01/09/2025	Creates the Food Truck Freedom Act. Provides that a municipality, county, or township may create a license or permitting scheme for a food truck to operate within its jurisdiction. Provides that a food truck license or permit obtained from a municipality, county, or township in Illinois has full force and effect in all other jurisdictions in Illinois so long as that license or permit was issued after: (1) an inspection by a local health department that uses recommendations made by the Food and Drug Administration concerning food trucks and (2) an inspection by a local fire department that uses recommendations made by the National Fire Prevention Association concerning food trucks. Provides that nothing in the provisions prevents a municipality, county, or township from imposing placement or zoning restrictions or fees so long as those restrictions and fees are uniformly applied to all food trucks, regardless of the food truck's license or permit jurisdiction. Defines "food truck". Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1053	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that the chief procurement officer may not award a contract to a vendor if more than 10% of the services contracted, based on the cost of services, are to be performed outside of the United States.
HB1054	01/09/2025	Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that any contractor or subcontractor and any officer, employee, or agent of the contractor or subcontractor whose duty it is to file a certified payroll who willfully fails to file the certified payroll on or before the date the certified payroll is required to be filed and any person who willfully files a false certified payroll that is false as to any material fact is in violation of the Act and, in addition to being subject to penalties under the Act, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor (currently, is in violation of the Act and guilty of a Class A misdemeanor). Makes a conforming change.
HB1055	01/09/2025	Amends the Criminal Identification Act. In provisions concerning expungement, modifies the definition of "Minor Cannabis Offense" to mean a violation of specified provisions of the Cannabis Control Act concerning not more than 100 grams (rather than 30 grams) of any substance containing cannabis if the violation did not include a penalty enhancement under specified provisions of the Cannabis Control Act and is not associated with an arrest, conviction, or other disposition for a violent crime as defined in the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act.
HB1056	01/09/2025	Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that the definition of "public works" includes all fixed works constructed or demolished on publicly-owned property.
HB1057	01/09/2025	Amends the Toll Highway Act. Allows a veteran who is traveling to or from a medical appointment to use a toll highway without paying the toll if the veteran has applied for and received from the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority an Official Permit Card. Requires the Authority to adopt rules for the issuance of a permit that allows a veteran to use any toll highway without paying the established toll.
HB1058	01/09/2025	Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that all penalties imposed shall be remitted to the Department of Labor and shall be used for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
HB1060	01/09/2025	Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that nothing prohibits a member from transferring a portion of the amount that is authorized to be expended by the member to another member for expenditure in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
HB1061	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that redemption payments may be made by credit card.
HB1063	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act. Provides that, for the purpose of the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative, apprenticeship programs must provide to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity evidence that the apprenticeship program has graduated, in each of the 3 calendar years immediately preceding the date on which the public works project begins, at least 2 apprentices in each construction craft to be performed at the relevant project. Provides that apprenticeship programs are not required to provide graduation information with respect to apprenticeship crafts that are dedicated exclusively to the transportation of materials and equipment to and from the project. Provides that those provisions do not apply to public works projects contracted by school districts or units of local government. Effective immediately.