HJ0151 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0151 LRB094 22088 KXB 60704 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The AIDS epidemic continues to pervade our world, affecting both men and women of all ages and ethnicities; and

WHEREAS, Since the AIDS epidemic first surfaced in the United States, an estimated 944,306 AIDS cases have been reported, and approximately 529,113 or 56% of those individuals have lost their lives as a result of the disease; and

WHEREAS, Of those 944,306 reported cases, nearly 31,021 were from the State of Illinois; in 2004, there were 1,679 individuals diagnosed with AIDS in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The city of Chicago accounts for approximately 74% of all reported AIDS cases in Illinois; since 1981, at least 22,935 persons in Chicago have been diagnosed with AIDS, and at least 12,855 of those individuals have died; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly of the State of Illinois has provided increasing funds to raise greater awareness of AIDS, supported cutting-edge research and treatment, and provided counseling and testing services to the citizens of this State; and

WHEREAS, the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act was championed by the Illinois General Assembly as a comprehensive plan to address the African-American HIV/AIDS crisis in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, the State of Illinois proudly joins the City of Chicago in the continuing fight against AIDS; on December 1, 2006, citizens representing coalitions and faith-based organizations throughout the Chicago area have joined with the Chicago Department of Public Health to sponsor World AIDS Day 2006, which is a globally recognized event each year; and

WHEREAS, World AIDS Day is an opportunity to educate citizens about AIDS, to pay tribute to the many lives that have been lost, and to express support for the ongoing efforts to one day find a cure for this devastating epidemic; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we do hereby proclaim December 1, 2006 as World AIDS Day in Illinois, and we urge all citizens to join in this very meaningful and poignant observance.