Bills & Legislation

CONGRATS-DR. VAN OYEN

Congratulates Dr. Lawrence Van Oyen, professor of music at North Central College, on the occasion of his retirement for his decades of distinguished service to music education, his extraordinary dedication to enriching the lives of children with autism and their families through the Chords for Kids program, and the profound and lasting impact he has had on his students and colleagues throughout his remarkable career.

Laura Ellman

MEMORIAL-CHRISTIAN J. PASCENTE

Mourns the passing of Christian James "CP" Pascente of Johnsburg.

Darby A. Hills

LATINA HERITAGE DAY

Declares March 15, 2026 as Latina Heritage Day.

Celina Villanueva

MEMORIAL-DR. BARBARA M. GAFFKE

Mourns the passing of Dr. Barbara Mary Gaffke.

Laura M. Murphy

EQUAL PAY DAY

Declares March 26, 2026 as Equal Pay Day in the State of Illinois. Encourages the citizens of this State to learn about the pay gap that women experience in society and to learn about these various dates that bring attention to the pay gap that specific groups experience.

Celina Villanueva

MEMORIAL-SUNIL PURI

Mourns the death of Sunil Puri.

Dave Syverson

CONGRATS-D & C HERRIOTT

Congratulates Daniel and Constance Herriott on being named among the Top 10 national contenders in the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award program. Commends them on this achievement and for all of their hard work.

Chapin Rose

MEMORIAL-BUFORD M. GREEN

Mourns the death of Buford M. Green.

Jil Tracy

MEMORIAL-ELAINE E. BIRTCH

Mourns the death of Elaine Evelyn Birtch.

Steve McClure

MEMORIAL-RAYMOND SCHEITER JR.

Mourns the death of Raymond Alfred "Ray" Scheiter Jr. of Quincy, formerly of Golden.

Jil Tracy

IL BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS DAY

Declares March 24, 2026 as Illinois Boys & Girls Clubs Day in the State of Illinois. Commends the Illinois Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and its member organizations, staff, and volunteers. Encourages continued investment and support for Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Illinois.

Doris Turner

MEMORIAL-ROBERT K. FAIR

Mourns the death of Robert Keith "Bob" Fair of Virginia.

Jil Tracy

LINKS DAY

Declares March 25, 2026 as Links Day in the State of Illinois. Congratulates Director Sheila R. Brown of the Central Area of The Links, Incorporated and its members on their unwavering commitment to service.

Christopher Belt

ALS AWARENESS MONTH

Declares May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month and urges all Americans to join in supporting ALS research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.

Cristina Castro

CONGRATS-RUTH P. D. BUEHRER

Congratulates Ruth Perejda Deram Buehrer on celebrating her 100th birthday.

Mary Edly-Allen

CONGRATS-KADE HILL

Congratulates Kade Hill on earning third place in the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet competition at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention.

Chris Balkema

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

Declares March 2026 as Women's History Month in the State of Illinois. Honors the achievements and contributions of women throughout the State of Illinois, the United States, and the world. Encourages citizens to recognize and celebrate the women in their lives and communities whose dedication, service, and leadership strengthen our State and nation.

Jil Tracy

FARMWORKERS DAY

Declares March 31, 2026 as Farmworkers Day in the State of Illinois in recognition of the essential contributions and sacrifices of farmworkers past and present. Recognizes the multiracial, intergenerational coalition of workers, including men, women, and children, whose collective action transformed labor rights in this country. Honors the courage, resilience, and contributions of farmworkers in the State of Illinois and across the United States.

Celina Villanueva

DOLORES HUERTA DAY

Declares April 10, 2026 as Dolores Huerta Day in the State of Illinois in recognition of Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta's lifelong commitment to justice and her enduring impact on generations of activists and working families. Commends Dolores Huerta for her extraordinary contributions to civil rights, labor rights, gender equity, and social justice. Recognizes her resilience in sharing her story and her commitment to uplifting the experiences of women whose narratives have too often been overlooked.

Celina Villanueva

MEMORIAL-BUTLER MCGEE JR.

Mourns the passing of Butler McGee Jr.

Kimberly A. Lightford

ALS AWARENESS MONTH

Declares May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Urges all Illinoisans to engage in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.

Jil Tracy

SUPPORTS-CIVIC PARTIC AT 250

Recognizes the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence as an opportunity for reflection, inspiration, education, dialogue, and civic engagement. Encourages participation in and support of activities that examine our shared history, promote understanding of democratic principles, inspire the exchange of ideas, and strengthen civic life. Encourages and supports efforts to bolster the organizations that preserve and protect our State's archives, museums, libraries, historic sites, and community collections. Supports efforts to expand access to high-quality civics education that prepares individuals for thoughtful, constructive participation in our democracy with an understanding of the nation's founding ideals and the diverse people and communities in Illinois who have engaged, and continue to engage, in the work required to realize them.

Doris Turner

MEMORIAL-MILTON D. KELLY

Mourns the passing of Milton Dow "Milt" Kelly of Fisher.

Chapin Rose

MEMORIAL-MILTON CHANDLER

Mourns the death of Milton Chandler.

Mattie Hunter

MEMORIAL-ELLEN C. HAMAKER

Mourns the passing of Ellen Clare Hamaker of Lehigh Acres, Florida.

Doris Turner

NEC AWARENESS MONTH/DAY

Declares May 2026 as NEC Awareness Month and May 17, 2026 as NEC Awareness Day in the State of Illinois to encourage increased public awareness, education, and research efforts related to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and support for families affected by this disease.

Chris Balkema

CONGRATS-JAY HARRINGTON

Congratulates Southwestern Illinois College Basketball Head Coach Jay Harrington on his career accomplishments.

Christopher Belt

RECOGNIZES-SUE BUSTIN

Recognizes Sue Bustin for her service and dedication as medical caseworker of the Joliet Township Government Office for 23 and a half years.

Rachel Ventura

MEMORIAL-WARREN B. COOPER JR.

Mourns the passing of Warren Bell Cooper Jr.

Mattie Hunter

ASSYRIAN HERITAGE MONTH

Declares April 2026 as Assyrian Heritage Month in the State of Illinois. Commends the Assyrian community in Illinois for their enduring contributions, resilience, and cultural heritage.

Ram Villivalam

MEMORIAL-ROBERT D'ONOFRIO

Mourns the passing of Robert "Bobby" D'Onofrio of Chicago.

Michael E. Hastings

MEMORIAL-JAMES L. O'BRIEN

Mourns the death of James L. "Boz" O'Brien of Chicago.

Michael E. Hastings

DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARE. MO.

Declares April 2026 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Urges the citizens and businesses of the State of Illinois to observe Distracted Driving Awareness Month by practicing safe driving behaviors and pledging to drive distraction-free.

Seth Lewis

NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH-SUPPORT

Expresses support for National Safety Month in June 2026 and strongly urges the citizens and businesses of Illinois to observe National Safety Month by practicing safe and healthy behaviors in all aspects of their lives.

Seth Lewis

MEMORIAL-ETHEL L. JESSE

Mourns the passing of Ethel Lucille Jesse of Girard and Decatur.

Steve McClure

MEMORIAL-WILLIAM E. PETERSON

Mourns the death of former Illinois State Senator William E. "Bill" Peterson Jr. of Long Grove.

John F. Curran

MEMORIAL-REV. JANIS A. SHARPE

Mourns the death of Reverend Janis Arlene Sharpe.

Lakesia Collins

MEMORIAL-JAMES D. BOLIN

Mourns the passing of James Dean "Jim" Bolin of Casey.

Chapin Rose

HOME FIRE SPRINKLER WEEK

Declares May 10 through May 16, 2026 as Home Fire Sprinkler Week in the State of Illinois.

Patrick J. Joyce

PD365/ISBE-ARTIFICIAL INTEL

Supports the principles put forth by Illinois ASCD/PD365 regarding the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence in K-12 classrooms. Urges the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), in collaboration with school districts, educators, technology experts, and stakeholder organizations, to develop statewide guidelines for the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence in education, including protections for student data, expectations for algorithmic transparency, monitoring for bias, and the incorporation of digital and AI literacy into Illinois curricula to ensure students can thoughtfully and ethically engage with emerging technologies. Encourages investment in educator professional development and equitable access to technology, including broadband infrastructure, one-to-one devices, and AI-enabled tools to ensure that all Illinois educators and students are prepared to use artificial intelligence responsibly, effectively, and fairly across all schools.

Adriane Johnson

WHOLE CHILD MONTH

Declares March 2026 as Illinois Whole Child Month to recognize the value of assuring that each student is challenged, supported, healthy, safe, and engaged. Urges parents, educators, and community members to support a whole child approach to education for each student. Urges every school in Illinois to celebrate Whole Child Month by adopting at least one of the whole child tenets to promote and encourage throughout the month.

Adriane Johnson

MEMORIAL-THOMAS FRIYE

Mourns the passing of Thomas "Tom" Friye of Quincy.

Jil Tracy

MEMORIAL-NED P. BROEMMEL

Mourns the passing of Ned P. Broemmel of Quincy.

Jil Tracy

AUTISM AWARENESS DAY

Declares April 2, 2026 as Autism Awareness Day in the State of Illinois.

Meg Loughran Cappel

SUPPORT-TRIBUTE TO VALOR FNDN

Expresses support for and encourages all residents to support the Tribute to Valor Foundation and its mission to inspire the youth of America and all people to ask themselves the question "Who Am I?" and to answer by reflecting on the six core values of the Medal of Honor. Encourages and expresses support for activities and educational programs that invite veterans, first responders, and other role models to share how the six core values of the Medal of Honor have helped them commit to a life of service and assisted them in times of adversity.

John F. Curran

MEMORIAL-ARADIA CLARK

Mourns the passing of Aradia Clark.

Michael E. Hastings

MEMORIAL-JOYCE DIEBEL

Mourns the death of Joyce Diebel of Des Plaines.

Laura M. Murphy

MEMORIAL-REV. JESSE JACKSON

Mourns the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Willie Preston

MEMORIAL-DIANE K. RUTLEDGE

Mourns the death of Diane Kay Rutledge.

Steve McClure

COMPOST AWARENESS WEEK

Declares May 3 through May 9, 2026 as Compost Awareness Week.

Laura Fine