HR1311 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1311 LRB100 24056 MST 43160 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate their former colleague, Patricia R. "Patti" Bellock, on her long and distinguished career of public service as a DuPage County Board member, State Representative of the 47th District, and as Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Bellock was born Patricia Rigney on October 14, 1946 to proud parents, John Rigney and Dorothy Comiskey Rigney, big sister, Mary Sharon, and loving grandmother, Grace Comiskey, owner of the Chicago White Sox; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Bellock grew up in River Forest and graduated from Saint Norbert College in Wisconsin, where she received a bachelor's degree in history and American government; and

WHEREAS, Prior to entering public service, Rep. Bellock taught school in both Fairbanks, Alaska and Milwaukee, Wisconsin and served as vice president of a sports investment firm in the private sector; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Bellock moved to Hinsdale in the early 1970s, where she raised her two daughters, Colleen and Dorothy, and became active in the Downers Grove Township Republican Organization; she was elected as a Precinct Committeeman and volunteered for local candidates and community causes; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Bellock was elected to the DuPage County Board in 1992 and served with distinction for six years; and

WHEREAS, In 1998, Rep. Bellock ran for State Representative and won a competitive four-way Republican primary in the 81st District for the seat being vacated by Rep. Judy Biggert; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Bellock was elected State Representative in November of 1998 and took the oath of office in January 1999 as a member of the 91st General Assembly, the first of what would ultimately be 10 terms in the Illinois House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her nearly 20 years as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, Rep. Bellock was a tireless advocate in the areas of education, juvenile justice, healthcare, developmental disabilities, and mental health; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Bellock's landmark legislation, which reformed the Illinois Medicaid system, the SMART Act, and other legislation addressing mental health parity, MRSA infection control, improving the Amber Alert system, and strengthening child support in Illinois have all been recognized on a national level; and

WHEREAS, In October of 2013, Rep. Bellock was appointed Deputy Minority Leader; she was the first woman in Illinois history to hold that position and served until her retirement from the Illinois House of Representatives in July of 2018; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of her legislative career, Rep. Bellock served as the Chief Budget Negotiator for the House Republicans, as the Minority Spokeswoman on both the Human Services Committee and the Human Services-Appropriations Committee, and as a member of the Labor & Commerce Committee; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her legislative career, Rep. Bellock received numerous state and national awards for her role in various community projects and served on several local boards for groups addressing the issues of taxes, substance abuse, Alzheimer's, autism, human services, mental health, Multiple Sclerosis, violence prevention, and the arts; she was named Legislator of the Year by over 20 different associations and organizations; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Bellock was appointed to the National Health Care Committee of the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) in Washington, D.C. and also served as the Midwest Director for the national group, Women in Government; she chaired the Conference of Women Legislators in Springfield, a bipartisan group of women legislators; and

WHEREAS, In July of 2018, Rep. Bellock resigned from the House of Representatives in order to accept an appointment from Governor Rauner to be the new Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, where she has continued her work on behalf of the State's most vulnerable children, families, and seniors; and

WHEREAS, Although we already miss Rep. Bellock's presence as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, we are grateful for her continued service to the people of the State of Illinois and are happy that she will be able to spend more time with her family, especially her beloved grandchildren Will, Grace, Libby, Charlie, and Catherine; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Patricia R. "Patti" Bellock on her distinguished career of public service as a DuPage County Board member, as an Illinois State Representative from 1999-2018, and as Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Honorable Patti Bellock as a symbol of our esteem and respect for our former colleague and cherished friend.