HR1051 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1051 LRB102 29901 ECR 42075 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor our esteemed colleague, Representative Kathleen Willis, for her 10 years of service as a member of the Illinois General Assembly and thank her for her dedicated service to our State and her community; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Willis is a lifelong resident of DuPage County; she currently resides with her husband, Tom, in Addison, where they raised their children, Elyse, Heather, John, and Victoria, and are proud grandparents; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Willis earned her bachelor's degree in Human Service Administration from Elmhurst College and her master's degree in Library and Information Services from the University of Illinois; in her career, she served her local community as access services coordinator at the Elmhurst College Library while also teaching children's and youth literature; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Willis has a long record of community service, including tenure as the vice president of the Kiwanis Club of Addison, chair of the Addison Special Events Commission, and coordinator of the Addison Mayor's Community Charity Ball; additionally, she is a member of the American Association of University Women, a supporter of the Dare to Dream program that mentors young Latinas to help promote education, combat truancy, and promote the benefits of staying in school and pursuing education, and a board member of Addison Elementary School District 4; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Willis began her service in the legislature by successfully passing bills to improve the placement process for special education students and to help prevent e-cigarette purchase by minors, which were signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Willis passed legislation to increase accountability against individuals who defraud or attempt to defraud Medicaid and to protect consumers from unfair surcharges; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Willis successfully fought to enhance justice for domestic violence survivors and accountability for domestic abusers, worked to address drug abuse among young people by spearheading the creation of the Young Adults Heroin Use Task Force, advocated to reduce the influence of gangs and their ability to recruit young people, and sought to enhance firearm safety and protect families from violent crime, including through an appointment to serve on the Restorative Justice and Safe Communities Committee for the gubernatorial transition in 2018; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Representative Kathleen Willis on her retirement from the Illinois House of Representatives, thank her for her 10 years of dedicated service to the people of Illinois, and wish her the best in the next chapter of her life; and be it further

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