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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to recognize the late Leticia "Letty"
4Lozano for the impact her advocacy made on the vocation of
5Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel (PSRPs) in the
6State of Illinois; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Leticia Lozano was an employee of Chicago Public
8Schools (CPS), working at Thomas Kelly College Preparatory
9High School for the majority of her career before joining the
10staff of Charles A. Prosser Career Academy as the attendance
11clerk; during her tenure, she was noted by colleagues for her
12dedication and devotion to the students, families, staff, and
13community; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Leticia Lozano wished to become a substitute
15teacher at Prosser Career Academy in retirement; however, as
16an attendance clerk, she was prohibited from doing so by State
17law that governs the Municipal Employees' Annuity and Benefit
18Fund of Chicago, from which CPS paraprofessionals draw their
19pensions; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Through the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), Leticia
21Lozano championed changing the law, and the union, in turn,
22worked with members of the General Assembly; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The change Leticia Lozano sought was eventually
2introduced as Illinois Senate Bill 1646 in the 103rd General
3Assembly in 2023; and
 
4    WHEREAS, SB 1646 allowed PSRPs, such as Leticia Lozano, to
5become substitute teachers after retirement without penalty to
6their pension, and the bill was signed into law under Public
7Act 103-0552, effective August 11, 2023; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Unfortunately, Leticia Lozano never got the
9chance to retire or to benefit from the law change and pursue
10substitute teaching, passing away due to complications from
11COVID-19 in December 2020; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Leticia Lozano was a wife and the mother of
13Josie, Carlos, Elvia, Luis, Alex, Gizelle, and Andrew; and
 
14    WHEREAS, While she never benefited from the rights
15bestowed by the passage of SB 1646, Leticia Lozano's advocacy
16continues to be remembered today, serving as a reminder of the
17positive impact one person's efforts can have on society as a
18whole; therefore, be it
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
20HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

 

 

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1we recognize the late Leticia "Letty" Lozano on the impact her
2advocacy made on the vocation of Paraprofessionals and
3School-Related Personnel (PSRPs) in the State of Illinois and
4her dedication to Chicago Public Schools (CPS); and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Leticia Lozano as an expression of
8our esteem and respect.