SR0312 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0312 LRB102 18604 MST 26940 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood served as the first female Lt. Governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood was known as a staunch advocate for women and children; her experience also included service as a state representative, attorney, and community activist, as well as wife and mother; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1997 to 1999, and during her first year as a member of the Illinois Legislature, she passed more bills that were signed into law than any other freshman state representative; and

WHEREAS, During her bid for Lt. Governor, Lt. Gov. Wood made campaign visits to all 102 counties in Illinois, discussing the ambitious agenda of the Ryan/Wood team, and on November 3rd, 1998, she was elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, During her time as Lt. Governor, Lt. Gov. Wood championed women's health and was dedicated to improving health care for women; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood launched the highly regarded Check for a Cure campaign to increase contributions to the State's breast cancer research fund; her initiative was extremely effective and, in the first year, doubled the revenue donated to this fund; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood served as the Chair of Women's Health Illinois, an inter-agency program that focuses on enhancing women's health education and services; she also served as Honorary Chair of the Governor's Commission on the Status of Women; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood worked to triple funding for the State's Office of Women's Health, expanding health education and outreach efforts and making a program for low-cost breast and cervical exams available to more women throughout Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood created and hosted a Midwest Emmy-nominated cable television show, Today's Healthy Woman, to provide important health information to Illinois women and their families; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood served as the Chair of the Governor's Rural Affairs Council and the Illinois Rural Bond Bank, as well as the Chair of the Illinois Main Street Council; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood courageously battled with breast cancer throughout her life, including during her time as Lt. Governor; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Gov. Wood's dedication to public service, despite battling breast cancer, showed how strong she was and how dedicated she was to improving Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Above all, Lt. Gov. Wood was a wife to Paul and a mother to three children, Ashley, Brandon, and Courtney; she will be missed by her family, friends, and colleagues; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 28, 2021 as "Lt. Governor Corinne Wood Day" in the State of Illinois to commemorate her years of public service and to celebrate the life that she led; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Lt. Gov. Wood's family as a symbol of our esteem and respect.