Amendment to Illinois Municipal Code 65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-8

PoliceIllinoisLegislatureHiringVeterans
Written By Adam Kowalski

Like many States, Illinois offers police applicants the benefit of preference points based on achievements such as military service and collegiate academic achievements. While mostly a straightforward process, there is a glaring issue in the statute, and subsequent municipality rules that governs the award of these points. As the statute stands, the only method for veterans to earn the preference points they are allocated is to provide a DD-214 demonstrating an honorable discharge from the military. It is in this requirement that we find an issue that H60 believes Illinois legislature needs to review and revise.

Prior to transitioning from active duty to civilian life, service members are offered terminal leave. This period offers them the opportunity to find a place to live in the state that they will continue their lives in. It is during this period that many are applying for their next careers, often the first one they’ve had outside of military service. Many choose to continue their service to their communities by choosing to become first responders such as Police Officers. However, as they continue in the hiring process, these service members are not eligible for the military preference points… because they don’t have a DD-214 yet.

This is the injustice that H60 Consulting is working to change. By adopting the additional language that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) uses in federal employment; which includes the acceptance of documentation that verifies a service members participation in the military, they allow for preference points to be awarded to veterans still in the service. Below is our proposal to be submitted to the Illinois legislature to amend the current statute governing military preference points to be more inclusive of all service members still on active duty.

Draft Proposal to Amend Illinois Municipal Code 65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-8

Subject: Inclusion of Active-Duty Service Certification for Veterans’ Preference Eligibility

Purpose:
To amend the Illinois Municipal Code to allow active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces to be eligible for military preference points in municipal hiring processes upon submission of official certification of expected honorable discharge, aligning the state’s standards with those of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Proposed Amendment Language

Amendment to 65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-8 – Veterans’ Preference in Original Appointments

Add the following language:

"Applicants who are currently serving on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States and who have not yet been discharged may also be eligible to receive veterans' preference points if they submit, in lieu of a DD214, a certification from the appropriate branch of the Armed Forces. This certification must:

  1. Be an official document from the armed forces;

  2. State that the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions;

  3. Specify the expected discharge date, which must be within 120 days from the date of application for employment.

Veterans’ preference points awarded under this provision shall be considered conditional until the applicant provides the official DD214 verifying the honorable discharge. If the discharge is not honorable or not completed within the stated timeframe, preference points may be revoked."

Rationale

  1. Equity for Active-Duty Applicants: This amendment ensures that currently serving members who are nearing the end of service are not penalized for lacking a DD214 at the time of application.

  2. Alignment with Federal Practice: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) already allows such certifications for federal hiring; aligning state law creates consistency and fairness.

  3. Talent Access: Expanding eligibility may allow municipalities to access a broader pool of qualified candidates with military leadership and discipline.

  4. Public Trust and Fairness: Ensuring that military service members are treated equitably strengthens public confidence in municipal hiring systems.

If you are an Illinois resident, Municipality/Village official, or Police administrator and would like to be included in endorsing our proposed legislature please contact us.

In a time when Illinois is facing a policing shortage, we owe it to our military members to make the transition to policing as easy as possible.

Adam Kowalski