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Gov. Blagojevich signs legislation to protect rights of volunteer
emergency workers, active-duty military personnel
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[August 16, 2007]
SPRINGFIELD --
Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich signed legislation Saturday that protects
the rights of emergency workers and members of the military. House
Bill 1031, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, and
state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, extends employment protections to
more volunteer emergency workers. Senate Bill 253, sponsored by
state Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, and state Rep. Mike Bost,
R-Murphysboro, protects the rights of members of the military who
aspire to municipal office.
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 "Thousands of brave men and women choose to serve their
communities by volunteering as firefighters, emergency medical
technicians or by enlisting in the military," said Blagojevich. "And
it is important that we make sure the rights of those men and women
are protected, because they are -- in many cases -- risking their
lives to protect us. I would like to thank the lawmakers involved in
these two great pieces of legislation that do just that."
House Bill 1031 amends the Volunteer Emergency Worker Job
Protection Act, which provides job protection for volunteer
firefighters and emergency workers when they respond to emergencies.
The act currently prohibits private employers in municipalities with
populations less than 3,500 from terminating an individual for an
absence or tardiness resulting when they respond to those
emergencies. By signing House Bill 1031, Blagojevich expanded that
protection to include volunteer emergency workers employed by any
employer located in a municipality with a population of less than
7,500.
"Any emergency is stressful. The people who volunteer to protect
others in those situations are heroes, and they should not be
burdened with the additional stress of wondering whether fighting
that fire will cause them to lose their jobs," said Forby, Senate
sponsor of the legislation.
The governor also signed
Senate Bill 253, which makes it possible
for individuals serving in the military to serve their communities
as elected officials. Under the new law, if someone has been on
active-duty military service and was stationed outside of their own
community, that time still counts as local residency if they elect
to run for municipal office.
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 "Someone who is qualified to hold a municipal office should not
be prevented from doing so because active duty required him or her
to reside outside their district," said Luechtefeld, Senate sponsor
of the legislation. "I am happy the governor is signing this bill to
give brave men and women in the military the opportunity to hold
elected offices."
"Enlisting in the military is a courageous decision. Those who
choose to further serve their communities as elected officials
should not be hampered because they spent time living outside the
district during the year before their candidacy," said Bost, House
sponsor.
These laws build upon steps the governor has already taken to
protect the men and women serving their communities and their
countries as emergency workers and military personnel:
In 2004 Blagojevich signed legislation creating the Volunteer
Firefighter Job Protection Act to protect the jobs of volunteer
firefighters in communities with less than 3,500 residents.
The governor approved expanding the act in 2006 to include
volunteer emergency medical technicians and other volunteer
emergency workers.
The governor signed
Senate Bill 2778, which requires Illinois
colleges and universities to create reasonable absence
accommodations for students who are volunteer emergency workers.
Schools must also make a grievance process available to students
who believe they were unreasonably denied accommodation for such
absences.
Student emergency worker policies must be published in student
handbooks or manuals.
House Bill 1031 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2008, and Senate Bill
253 goes into effect immediately.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
