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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Patrick "Pat" Welch, who passed away on
4January 7, 2020 at the age of 71; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Pat Welch was born on December 12, 1948 in
6Chicago; he attended Southern Illinois University at
7Carbondale, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government; he earned
8a law degree at the Illinois Institute of Technology's
9Chicago-Kent School of Law; he was admitted to the Illinois Bar
10and practiced law in Peru, Illinois; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Within months of earning his law degree, Pat Welch
12was named Democratic State Central Committeeman in 1978 and was
13the youngest person to hold that office at that time; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Pat Welch was elected as a Democratic member of
15the Illinois Senate; he represented the 38th Senate District
16from 1983-2004 and was reelected six times; he served as the
17Assistant Majority Leader for the 93rd General Assembly and
18served this body with distinction; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Pat Welch received national recognition and was
20awarded the "Best Bet Award" in 1988 from the National Center
21of Environmental Alternatives for his sponsorship of the

 

 

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1Groundwater Protection Act; he also received numerous other
2environmental, labor, rehabilitation, and agricultural awards;
3and
 
4    WHEREAS, Pat Welch was a member of several Committees,
5including Appropriations II as the chairperson, Appropriations
6I, Agriculture and Conservation, Environment and Energy,
7Revenue, and the Subcommittee on Gaming-Revenue; he also served
8as the co-chairperson of the Economic and Fiscal Commission;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Pat Welch served as the Assistant Director of
11Revenue for six years and retired in 2011; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Pat Welch is preceded in death by his former wife
13Bonnie Welch and his son Daniel Welch; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
16Patrick "Pat" Welch and extend our sincere condolences to his
17family, friends, and all those who knew and loved him; and be
18it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of Pat Welch as an expression of our
21deepest sympathy.