SR0933 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0933 LRB101 16744 ECR 66134 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Patrick "Pat" Welch, who passed away on January 7, 2020 at the age of 71; and

WHEREAS, Pat Welch was born on December 12, 1948 in Chicago; he attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government; he earned a law degree at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Chicago-Kent School of Law; he was admitted to the Illinois Bar and practiced law in Peru, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Within months of earning his law degree, Pat Welch was named Democratic State Central Committeeman in 1978 and was the youngest person to hold that office at that time; and

WHEREAS, Pat Welch was elected as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate; he represented the 38th Senate District from 1983-2004 and was reelected six times; he served as the Assistant Majority Leader for the 93rd General Assembly and served this body with distinction; and

WHEREAS, Pat Welch received national recognition and was awarded the "Best Bet Award" in 1988 from the National Center of Environmental Alternatives for his sponsorship of the Groundwater Protection Act; he also received numerous other environmental, labor, rehabilitation, and agricultural awards; and

WHEREAS, Pat Welch was a member of several Committees, including Appropriations II as the chairperson, Appropriations I, Agriculture and Conservation, Environment and Energy, Revenue, and the Subcommittee on Gaming-Revenue; he also served as the co-chairperson of the Economic and Fiscal Commission; and

WHEREAS, Pat Welch served as the Assistant Director of Revenue for six years and retired in 2011; and

WHEREAS, Pat Welch is preceded in death by his former wife Bonnie Welch and his son Daniel Welch; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Patrick "Pat" Welch and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all those who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Pat Welch as an expression of our deepest sympathy.