HR1053 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1053 LRB102 30058 ECR 42259 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to honor our esteemed colleague, State Representative Michael W. Halpin, for his six years as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives and thank him for his dedicated service to our State and the 72nd House District; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin served the 72nd District of Illinois from January 2017 to January 2023, representing the communities of Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Andalusia, Edgington, Illinois City, Milan, Oak Grove, Reynolds, Silvis, and Taylor Ridge; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin is originally from Voorheesville, New York; he earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island and was the first in his immediate family to earn a college degree; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin first came to Illinois in 2002 to join the staff of the late Congressman Lane Evans, who served the 17th Congressional District of Illinois, which includes the Quad Cities area; through his work with Congressman Evans, he fostered relationships and gained knowledge that would help him in his later work as they traveled around the district often to meet with constituents and elected officials; and

WHEREAS, After leaving Congressman Evans' office, Rep. Halpin attended the University of Illinois to complete his law degree; during this time, he clerked for former-Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court Rita B. Garman; since then, he has professionally practiced in many areas of law, primarily focusing on labor law and municipal law; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin has built and maintained an excellent reputation within his community and sustained his desire to serve its members; he was appointed public administrator and public guardian of Rock Island in 2013, and he served in this capacity until joining the House of Representatives in 2017; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure in the House, Rep. Halpin utilized his position to provide better infrastructure to Illinois, support veterans, provide Illinoisans with more transparency in their government, assist Illinois workers, and respond to constituent needs; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin served as the Illinois representative on the Interstate Passenger Rail Commission for several years, aiming to improve mass transportation and infrastructure in the Midwest by enhancing inter-city rail and developing plans to bring high-speed rail to the region; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin became a leader in helping and defending workers in Springfield through his chairmanship of the Personnel and Pensions Committee and his service as a member of Governor Pritzker's Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee during the 2018 gubernatorial transition; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin believes that caring for constituents and providing them reliable and efficient access to their government is one of the most important responsibilities of any elected official; he and his staff are proud of their efforts to resolve constituent cases, connect them with Illinois agencies, and answer their questions and concerns over the years; they are also happy to have had the opportunity to regularly connect with the community through a number of local events, including Principal for a Day, Fright Night, and an annual holiday lunch service, where they provide and serve food to low-income residents during the holidays; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin's responsiveness to constituents is highlighted by one of his most memorable pieces of legislation, which allows schools to keep undesignated glucagon on hand for students that do not have their prescription available but experience a diabetic emergency; he brought this legislation to the General Assembly in response to an emergency overseen by a local school nurse; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin also devotes his free time to supporting causes about which he is passionate, including service on the Board of Directors for Bridging the Gap: Stand Down For Homeless Veterans; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin has successfully balanced the responsibilities of excellent public service with the personal responsibilities of maintaining and growing a family; he constantly worked to ensure that he always has time set aside to dedicate to his wife, MaryAnn, and his children, Natalie and Will; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Halpin will leave the House of Representatives at the conclusion of the 102nd General Assembly, continuing his service to the people of Western Illinois as Senator for the 36th District; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate and thank Representative Michael Halpin for his years of dedicated service, and we wish him luck in his future endeavors as a state senator; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rep. Halpin as an expression of our esteem and respect.