Madigan releases new information for
veterans
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[September 14, 2016]
CHICAGO
- Attorney General Lisa Madigan today issued her updated guide of
legal rights for Illinois service members and encouraged Illinois
veterans, service members and their families to access the updated
resource to ensure their legal rights are upheld.
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Madigan’s updated “Legal Rights of Illinois Service Members”
guide was created by her Military and Veterans’ Rights Bureau to
provide veterans, service members and their families with
information regarding veterans’ legal rights and federal and state
veteran benefit laws. A new version that highlights changes in laws
and how those changes impact veterans’ benefits is available online
today at Madigan’s website.
“My Military and Veterans’ Rights Bureau developed this free guide
to help service members, veterans and their families navigate and
understand various state and federal laws regarding their rights,”
Madigan said. “I encourage veterans and their families to call my
Military and Veterans’ Rights Hotline at 1-800-382-3000 to speak
with real people who can answer any questions.”
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Aug/26/images/ads/current/stacy_sda_071216.png) The “Legal Rights of Illinois Service Members” guide details new and
updated laws that benefit veterans, including:
Credit Freeze for Active Duty Service Members: Illinois’
Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act now entitles
active duty service members to a free credit freeze if they become
victims of identity theft.
Real Estate Property Tax Exemption for Certain Disabled Veterans:
Qualified veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability
ratings are eligible to have their Illinois property taxes reduced.
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): Active service
members can no longer lose custody of a child based solely on
deployments, and courts will no longer consider deployments when
determining custody. Service members can also now legally terminate
residential leasing agreements when they receive orders for 90-day
deployments.
SMETA Amendment: Helps protect jobs of Illinois residents who
serve in the National Guard by ensuring that even if they serve in
the National Guard of a neighboring state, they will receive the
same employment protections of Illinois National Guard members.
Veterans Employment Preference: Ensures that when private
employers work to expand opportunities for veterans by establishing
a veterans’ preference in hiring, promotion or retention, these
actions are allowed under the Illinois Human Rights Act.
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Madigan’s Military and Veterans’ Rights Bureau advocates for service members and
veterans and investigates and pursues enforcement actions in cases involving
fraud against members of the armed services.
As part of this work, Madigan previously reached a settlement with a
California-based company to shut down its website, www.GIBill.com, for
deceptively steering service members and veterans to use their federal education
benefits with the company’s preferred clients in the for-profit schools
industry. The Attorney General has also urged the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs to immediately restore military educational benefits for student
veterans who attended deceptive for-profit schools. Madigan also called on
Congressional leaders to close a loophole in the Higher Education Act that has
allowed many for-profit schools to exploit education benefits available to
American service members, veterans and their families. Madigan has also urged
the U.S. Secretary of Defense to strengthen regulations under the federal
Military Lending Act (MLA) to ensure service members are better protected from
abusive lending practices.
For more information about Madigan’s Military and Veterans’ Rights Bureau,
please visit her website or contact her Military and Veterans’ Rights Hotline at
1-800-382-3000.
ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL WEBSITE
[Office of the Attorney General Lisa
Madigan]
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