HR0133 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0133 LRB100 11184 MST 21485 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is committed to recognizing that our growth and strength depend on the safety and economic value of the homes, buildings, and infrastructure that serve our citizens, both in everyday life and in times of natural disaster; and

WHEREAS, Our confidence in the structural integrity of these buildings that make up our communities is achieved through the devotion of vigilant guardians, building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, tradespeople, design professionals, laborers, and others in the construction industry who work year-round to ensure the safe construction of buildings; and

WHEREAS, These guardians are dedicated members of the International Code Council, a United States-based organization that brings together local, state, and federal officials who are experts in the built environment, to create and implement the highest-quality codes to protect us in the buildings where we live, learn, work, worship, and play; and

WHEREAS, Our nation benefits economically and technologically from the International Codes that are developed by national, voluntary consensus codes; with a standard-developing organization our government is able to avoid the high costs and complexity of developing and maintaining these codes, which are the most widely adopted building safety and fire prevention codes in the nation; these modern building codes include safeguards to protect the public from natural disasters such as hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, fires and wildfires, floods, and earthquakes; and

WHEREAS, Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council to remind the public about the critical role of the largely unknown guardians of community and public safety, the local code officials, who assure safe, efficient, and livable buildings which are essential to keeping America great; and

WHEREAS, "Code Officials-Partners in Community Safety and Economic Growth", is the theme for Building Safety Month 2017; it encourages all Americans to raise awareness of the importance of building safe and resilient construction, fire prevention, disaster mitigation, and new technologies in the construction industry; Building Safety Month 2017 encourages appropriate steps that everyone can take to ensure that the places where we live, learn, work, worship, and play are safe, and recognizes that countless lives have been saved due to the implementation of safety codes by local and state agencies; and

WHEREAS, Each year, in observance of Building Safety Month, Americans are asked to consider the commitment to improve building safety and economic investment at home and in the community, and to acknowledge the essential service provided to all of us by local and state building departments, fire prevention bureaus, and federal agencies in protecting lives and property; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the month of May of 2017 as "Building Safety Month" in the State of Illinois and encourage our citizens to join with their communities in participation in Building Safety Month activities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the International Code Council as an expression of our respect and esteem.