SR1050 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1050 LRB096 24409 KXB 44066 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Senator Dan Cronin has represented the citizens of the State of Illinois, in particular DuPage and Cook Counties, for nearly 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Dan Cronin has served with honor in the Illinois Senate since 1993, after serving one term in the Illinois House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin was the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee for 8 years and was Minority Spokesman for 8 years; in addition, he served on a number of important Senate committees, including Higher Education, Labor, Public Health, Judiciary Civil Law, Pensions and Investments, Commerce and Development, and Telecommunications and Technology; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin is esteemed for his strong commitment to education, making it a top priority during his time in the General Assembly and securing millions of dollars for new construction and renovation of Illinois schools; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin successfully sponsored the landmark 1999 legislation creating the Tuition Tax Credit for education expenses for parents; and

WHEREAS, His dedication to Illinois schoolchildren led to his role as the chief sponsor and a key negotiator of the groundbreaking Chicago School Reform legislation in 1995, which became a national model for helping failing school systems by demanding local accountability as well as improved standards for teachers, administrators, and students; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin has been a strong advocate for new approaches to public education, co-sponsoring legislation to provide school vouchers to children in Chicago's most under-performing and over-crowded schools, advancing measures expanding charter schools in Illinois, establishing teacher certification alternatives to expedite the hiring of new, more qualified teachers, and developing a new system of teacher re-certification that required teaching professionals to engage in professional development; and

WHEREAS, He has advanced bills to address the issue of teacher shortages and create teacher mentoring programs in order to bring the best and brightest teachers to at-risk students in Illinois' most struggling schools; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin has consistently been a strong voice for Illinois' employers, leading the charge on landmark eminent domain legislation to ensure that property owners are fairly reimbursed for relocations and legal expenses; and

WHEREAS, As a lifelong resident of DuPage County, Senator Cronin has always worked hard to protect the families in the western suburbs of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, His staunch advocacy for tax relief led him to push for landmark tax cap legislation that extended property tax caps to Cook County homeowners, while also advancing property tax caps for senior citizens and veterans; and

WHEREAS, He has been a consistent vote against higher taxes on families and small businesses, supporting the Tax Accountability Act to require a 3/5 majority vote by the General Assembly to increase taxes; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin's experience as a former DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney has led him to be a vocal advocate and sponsor of tough, effective law enforcement legislation; and

WHEREAS, He has sponsored legislation cracking down on gang crimes and drunk driving, imposing tougher penalties for violent crimes, introducing anti-terrorism measures, and advancing truth-in-sentencing laws; and

WHEREAS, His concern for the safety and welfare of Illinois children led him to sponsor laws that improved security at schools, protected children and women from domestic violence, strengthened teen driving laws, and advanced the first legislation to address aggressive behavior in students, including bullying; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin recognized the growing problem of identity theft and was a lead sponsor on a bill eliminating the statute of limitations for this crime and supported legislation requiring businesses to notify Illinois consumers if their personal information is compromised; and

WHEREAS, As a loving parent who understands the importance of a stable family, and touched by the "Baby Richard" adoption case, Senator Cronin led the way for legislation designed to bring peace of mind to adoptive parents and protect the interests of the child; and

WHEREAS, For many years Senator Cronin has fought for autistic children and their families, working hard to ensure that they receive the best care possible and have the opportunity to learn and grow as individuals in the community; and

WHEREAS, He co-sponsored the Family Care Bill to allow employees to take leave from work to care for family members in need; and

WHEREAS, He has been a strong supporter of good government reforms, leading the charge on recall legislation to permit voters to remove elected officials from public office, as well as measures to limit contributions to political campaigns and increase transparency in Illinois State government; and

WHEREAS, His long legislative career has been marked by numerous honors, including Crain's Chicago Business "Forty Under 40" and recognition from local, State, and national organizations representing such diverse interests as economic development, education, environmental protection, veterans, and health care; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cronin graduated from Northwestern University and Loyola University Law School; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his work as a lawmaker, Senator Cronin is a partner in the law firm of Power & Cronin, Ltd. and is a life-long member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic parish; and

WHEREAS, He is proud to sit on the Boards of Directors of the Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities, the Joseph Academy, Fenwick High School, and the DuPage Business Advisory Council, among others; and

WHEREAS, As a lawmaker, Senator Cronin's priorities have always been those of the people he represents, better schools for our children, public safety, property tax relief and improving the quality of life for the people of his district; and

WHEREAS, With his retirement, Senator Cronin leaves to begin a new journey as DuPage County Board Chairman, with the support of his family, his wife, Juliann, and their four children, Elizabeth, Sarah, Grace, and Danny; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Dan Cronin for his many years of dedicated service to the people of Illinois and honor him with this resolution; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this preamble and resolution be presented to Dan Cronin with our best wishes for his future endeavors.