HR0880 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0880 LRB099 15443 MST 39728 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to honor Representative Donald L. Moffitt for his work with the Illinois Legislative Fire Caucus; and

WHEREAS, In 2002, Rep. Moffitt created a task force to study fire protection funding; he recognized the need to have a bi-partisan "fire caucus" made up of members from the General Assembly that would work with fire service leaders on their various needs; he has continuously served as the Co-Chairman of the Fire Caucus since its formation; and

WHEREAS, The purpose of the Fire Caucus is to promote, preserve, foster, and protect the pursuits of the fire service in Illinois; the caucus will not advance any fire service-related issue if there is not unanimous agreement by the Illinois Fire Services Association; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Moffitt sponsored or co-sponsored legislation that did the following: encouraged every fire department in Illinois to join the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS); created the revolving fire truck loan program; created the fire service small equipment grant; increased the fines and punishment for arsonists; allowed fire departments to receive tax free motor fuel for fire trucks; updated and improved a firefighter hiring process for career fire departments; created a fair and equitable promotional system within career fire departments; allowed for military veterans to continue to apply for firefighter jobs if serving on active duty when they reached the maximum allowable age; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Moffitt also served as the Co-Chair of the EMS Task Force, which looked into the funding and service delivery of the Emergency Medical System in Illinois; as Co-Chair of both the Fire Caucus and EMS Task Force, he has championed the public safety concerns of fire and emergency services throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, Throughout Rep. Moffitt's legislative career, he has acquired several prestigious awards, including Legislator of the Year, Illinois Association for Fire Protection Districts, 2002; Legislator of the Year, Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, 2003; Legislator of the Year, Northern Illinois Alliance of Fire Protection Districts, 2004; Legislator of the Year, Illinois EMS Alliance, 2014; Legislator of the Year, Illinois Emergency Medical Technicians Association, 2014; and Legislator of the Year, Illinois National Emergency Number Association, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Moffitt has served in the Illinois House of Representatives since January of 1993; prior to that, he was the Knox County Treasurer, a Knox County Board member and Chair, a Knoxville City Council member, the Mayor of Oneida, and an alderman in Oneida; he was born in Galesburg and has a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education and Economics from the University of Illinois; he and his wife, Carolyn, have 3 children; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Moffitt has a passion, dedication, and commitment to public safety and the constituents of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor Representative Donald L. Moffitt for his work with the Illinois Legislative Fire Caucus; and be it further

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