HR0941 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0941 LRB101 23122 MST 74255 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Honorable Wyvetter H. Younge was one of the longest serving representatives in the Illinois House of Representatives; she was first elected to the House in 1975 and made urban renewal one of her top priorities; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Younge was born on August 23, 1930 in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of five children; her mother, Annie Hoover, managed a restaurant in East St. Louis, and her father sold insurance and owned various properties; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Younge graduated from Lincoln Senior High School in East St. Louis; after graduating, she attended the Hampton Institute for her undergraduate degree; in 1953, she earned a law degree from the St. Louis University School of Law, and in 1972, she earned a second law degree from the Washington University School of Law; and

WHEREAS, While in Springfield, Rep. Younge was a true champion for the people of her district; many of the bills she sponsored focused on issues such as substance abuse treatment, services for the homeless, and economic development in St. Clair County; after her passing, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan told reporters, "Wyvetter was a tireless advocate for East St. Louis who never stopped trying to improve the lives of her constituents"; and

WHEREAS, The East St Louis Higher Education Center offers educational courses and programs with collaborative partners, including community colleges and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; higher education and training have been offered at the center since 1999 after the closing of the Metropolitan Community College; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that as a means to remember the great work of Rep. Wyvetter H. Younge, the General Assembly is urged to change the name of the East St. Louis Higher Education Center to the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Center; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, and the East St. Louis Higher Education Center.