Manley Veterans Home Report Plan Passes General Assembly

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A measure introduced by state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, to require the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs to submit a biannual report on the health and of welfare of residents at veterans’ homes has passed both the House and Senate and will now be sent to the governor.

“After the tragic Legionnaires outbreak in the Quincy Veterans Home, it was clear that we needed to create more accountability and transparency within the administration of veteran homes,” Manley said. “We owe it to the residents and to their families to show that we take their health and well-being seriously.”

Manley’s House Bill 5784 will require a biannual report to be submitted to the General Assembly about the health and welfare of residents at state veterans homes, as well as information on any cases involving diseases in the homes. The measure is in response to the Legionnaires outbreak at the Quincy Veterans Home, in which 13 residents over the past three years have passed away due to complications caused by the disease. Dozens of residents and staff were also impacted by the disease, which continued to infect individuals years after its initial discovery.

“There were residents in Quincy who were put in harm’s way because the outbreak was not adequately addressed and families were left in the dark for too long,” Manley said. “Our heroes deserve to receive quality care, and this new report process will ensure that a greater emphasis on accountability will exist moving forward.”

For more information, please contact Manley’s constituent service office at 815-725-2741 or RepManley@gmail.com.