HR0591 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0591 LRB100 14375 MST 29154 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Elaine Nekritz on the occasion of her retirement as State Representative for the 57th Legislative District; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and began serving in 2003; she has served as an Assistant Majority Leader since the 98th General Assembly, and currently serves as Chair of the House Campaign Finance Subcommittee; she also served as Chair of the House Personnel and Pensions Committee for the 97th, 98th, and 99th General Assemblies, Chair of the House Judiciary-Civil Law Committee for the 97th, 98th, and 99th General Assemblies, and Chair of the House Special Investigating Committee for the 97th General Assembly; she was also a member of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA); and

WHEREAS, During her time in office, Rep. Nekritz has worked on significant legislation in the areas of criminal justice reform, the environment, civil liberties, consumer protection, and government reform; throughout her time in the House of Representatives, she has helped mentor new members and advocated for better processes and rules; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz's other legislative activities include serving as Executive Committee Member of the Council of State Governments Midwest Legislative Conference, Chair of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, Chair of the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, member of the Council of State Governments Legal Task Force, and fundraising Chair and Co-Chair for the Conference of Women Legislators; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz has been recognized numerous times for her exemplary service; she received the Criminal Justice Leadership Award from the John Howard Association of Illinois in 2014, the Environmental Leadership Award from the Illinois Environmental Council in 2015, the Dawn Clark Netsch "Straight Talk" Award from the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform in 2016, and the Richard J. Phelan Profile in Courage Award from Planned Parenthood in 2017; the Northwest Suburban Sierra Club named her Legislator of the Year, and in 2014, Chicago Magazine listed her as #93 on the "100 Most Powerful Chicagoans"; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz's volunteer activities include serving as a board member of the Illinois Women's Institute for Leadership, Chair of the Village of Northbrook Community Relations Commission, member of the Committee on State Public Affairs of the National Council of Jewish Women, board member of American Bicycle Racing, and officer of the Illinois Cycling Association; and

WHEREAS, From October of 1982 to August of 1991, Rep. Nekritz worked for Altheimer & Gray in Chicago, where she was named partner in 1989; she worked for Alberto's Cycles in Winnetka from the spring of 1992 to the fall of 1995; from the spring of 1997 to the fall of 2001, she worked as a legislative aide for State Rep. Jeff Schoenberg; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas and has a brother, John (Melanie) Hodges, and two sisters, Alice (Scott) Skultety and Anne (Tom) Silvers; and

WHEREAS, In 1979, Rep. Nekritz graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where she was awarded Phi Beta Kappa; in 1982, she graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz is married to Barry Nekritz and has two stepsons, Ed (Wendy) and Mike (Diane), and four grandchildren, Jessica, Matthew, Alyssa, and Erica; her stepdaughter, Felicia, passed away from breast cancer in 1998; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz was a talented gymnast and competed in the 1976 Olympic Trials; in 1996, she competed in the Olympic Trials for track cycling; she continues to stay active and rides bikes when she can, including using Divvy bikes when she works in downtown Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz enjoys cross country skiing during the winter months on the golf course near her home in Northbrook; her taste in books often overlap with her interest in government - biographies, political science, and public policy; she and Barry enjoy traveling, especially European cruises; they also are avid theatergoers with season tickets to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater; they are both avid fans of the Chicago Bears and hold season tickets; she is very fond of a good single malt scotch; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Nekritz has always been passionate about environmental issues; on her past two cars, she has limited herself to buying union-made American hybrids; her mother inspired her attitude to the environment by being an early adopter of recycling and other habits that are commonplace now but were radical in 1960s and 1970s Kansas; these habits remained with her and even now one can often see her stoop to pick up a scrap of paper or trash that has been left behind in the Capitol; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Elaine Nekritz on her retirement as State Representative for the 57th Legislative District, and we wish her the best in all her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rep. Nekritz as a symbol of our respect and esteem.