92_SR0597

 
                                               LRB9218492HShs

 1                          SENATE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, After 10  years  of  dedicated  service  in  the
 3    Illinois  General Assembly, Senator Thomas J. Walsh has moved
 4    on to pursue other career opportunities; and

 5        WHEREAS,  Senator  Walsh  has  served  the  22nd   Senate
 6    District  faithfully  since  1994,  and previously served two
 7    years as State Representative to the 44th District, following
 8    in the footsteps of his father, who also served in the  House
 9    of Representatives; and

10        WHEREAS,  Senator  Walsh now serves on the Illinois Labor
11    Relations Board; and

12        WHEREAS, As a  legislator,  Senator  Walsh  made  several
13    noteworthy   contributions,   including   the  much-acclaimed
14    Managed Care Reform  Act,  which  ensures  that  health  care
15    decisions  are  made by doctors and patients and implements a
16    "patients' bill of rights"; and

17        WHEREAS, Senator Walsh has been  a  strong  advocate  for
18    mentally   ill   and  developmentally  disabled  individuals,
19    sponsoring numerous bills to improve their quality  of  life;
20    and

21        WHEREAS,   Senator  Walsh  has  long  been  committed  to
22    maintaining tax levels and  keeping  sex  offenders  off  the
23    street; and

24        WHEREAS, He has endorsed laws such as tax caps, education
25    reform,  pro-business  initiatives,  and  the  repeal  of the
26    Retail Rate Law; and

27        WHEREAS, Senator Walsh was well-known for his ability  to
28    make  the journey from Westchester to Springfield in only two
29    hours; and

30        WHEREAS,  Senator  Walsh  has  been  recognized  by  many
 
                           -2-                 LRB9218492HShs
 1    organizations for his dedication  and  commitment,  including
 2    the Illinois Association of Community Mental Health Agencies,
 3    the  Alliance  for  the  Mentally  Ill,  ARC of Illinois, the
 4    Illinois Mental Health Counselors  Association,  Humane  PAC,
 5    the  Illinois  Congress of Parents and Teachers, the Illinois
 6    Association  of  Health   Qualifiers,   the   Mental   Health
 7    Association  of  Evanston,  the North Suburban Chapter of the
 8    Alliance for  the  Mentally  Ill,  the  Illinois  Psychiatric
 9    Society, Suburban Mayors and Managers, the Illinois Automatic
10    Merchandising   Council,  the  Village  of  Westchester,  the
11    Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance,  the  Illinois
12    Association of School Boards, and Family PAC; and

13        WHEREAS,  Senator  Walsh  is  married  to  the former Sue
14    Facenda and the couple has  two  sons,  Thomas  and  Timothy;
15    therefore, be it

16        RESOLVED  BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-SECOND GENERAL
17    ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the  members  of  the
18    Illinois Senate have lost a genuine and worthy colleague with
19    the retirement of Senator Thomas J. Walsh; and be it further

20        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
21    presented to Senator Walsh and his family  with  best  wishes
22    for a happy and prosperous future.