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 1                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The General Assembly takes pride in  recognizing
 3    the  accomplishments  and contributions of Illinois officials
 4    and citizens; and

 5        WHEREAS,  In  honor  of  the  lasting  legacy  and   many
 6    sacrifices  that  Judge Michael Anthony Bilandic made for the
 7    citizenry of the State  of  Illinois,  the  General  Assembly
 8    would  like  to recognize him with the rare honor of naming a
 9    public building after this former official; and

10        WHEREAS, Michael Anthony Bilandic was  one  of  the  more
11    influential  and  highly  regarded public figures in Chicago,
12    serving as Mayor of Chicago from 1976 to 1979  and  later  as
13    Chief  Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court; he was a man of
14    commitment and a loyal Chicagoan; most  importantly,  he  was
15    devoted  to  his family, faithful to his church, and proud of
16    his Croatian heritage; he died on January 16,  2002,  at  the
17    age  of  78; he is survived by his wife Heather, son Michael,
18    brothers Steve and Nick, and sister Eleanor; and

19        WHEREAS,  Born  on  February   13,   1923   to   Croatian
20    immigrants,  Justice  Bilandic  grew  up  in  the  Bridgeport
21    community  where he attended St. Jerome Grammar School (class
22    of '36) and De  La  Salle  High  School;  after  receiving  a
23    Bachelor  of  Science  degree  from  St.  Mary's  College, he
24    attended DePaul University College of Law where he  earned  a
25    Juris Doctor degree; during WWII, he courageously served as a
26    First Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps; and

27        WHEREAS, Justice Bilandic's political career was rich and
28    diverse,   including   service   in  all  three  branches  of
29    government  over  four  decades;  he  began  his   long   and
30    distinguished   public   service  career  in  1969  when  his
31    neighbors elected him to represent them as  Alderman  of  the
32    11th  Ward  in  Chicago;  as  a  member  of the City Council,
 
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 1    Alderman Bilandic pushed for the passage of many  initiatives
 2    designed  to  protect the city's environment, including a ban
 3    on harmful lead-based paint  and  on  phosphates  in  laundry
 4    detergent,  and  the  passage  of  the  Lakefront  Protection
 5    Ordinance;  considered  an  expert  in government finance, he
 6    rose to serve as Chairman of the city's Finance Committee and
 7    later became floor leader; and

 8        WHEREAS, In 1976, Bilandic was selected by his colleagues
 9    to serve as Mayor of Chicago; he was elected to  that  office
10    in 1977, and held the post until 1979; as Mayor, he continued
11    to  be  an  innovator  in  the area of enhancing the city; he
12    organized the first ChicagoFest, which was the  precursor  of
13    many  current  festivals, and lent his support to the Chicago
14    Marathon, which has become one of the premier running  events
15    in  the  world;  he  arranged  the city-insured, low-interest
16    mortgage loans for middle-income families in  order  to  make
17    the city more appealing to families; his wise and intelligent
18    concern   for   the   good  of  Chicago  is  evident  in  his
19    accomplishments; and

20        WHEREAS, Bilandic returned to  private  law  practice  in
21    1979,  and  was  widely  respected for his keen intellect and
22    exceptional insight into the intricacies of corporate law;  a
23    new  career  was  begun with his election to the 1st District
24    Appellate court and,  in  1990,  with  his  election  to  the
25    highest judicial office, the Illinois Supreme Court, where he
26    served  as  Chief  Justice  from  1994  through l996; Justice
27    Bilandic will always be remembered  for  his  long  years  of
28    unselfish  public  service,  characterized  by  his  decency,
29    intelligence,   and   integrity;  the  legacy  of  Bilandic's
30    dedication, devotion, and hard work serve as  an  example  to
31    all; a group of Chicago aldermen led the effort to rename the
32    State of Illinois Building after him; and

33        WHEREAS,  While much of Michael Bilandic's life was often
 
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 1    consumed by his outstanding legal and  political  career,  he
 2    possessed  a  great passion for his family and heritage; both
 3    of his parents came to the United States from Croatia in  the
 4    early  1900s;  his mother, "Minnie" (Lebedina), came from the
 5    village of Bobovisce on the  island  of  Brac,  Croatia;  his
 6    father,   Mate   Bilandzic   (later   changed  to  Bilandic),
 7    immigrated from Dicmo,  a  village  near  Sinj,  Croatia;  he
 8    shared  his  family  roots  with  his wife and son, and often
 9    visited Croatia; and

10        WHEREAS,  Following  a  peaceful  and  dignified   family
11    funeral  service,  Justice  Bilandic  was  quietly and humbly
12    buried beside his parents at  St.  Mary  Cemetery;  his  wife
13    described  him  as  "a  devoted  family  man (who) also loved
14    Chicago and its people, was proud of his  Croatian  heritage,
15    and   grateful  for  the  opportunities  which  this  country
16    provided to his family"; he was  a  gentle  soul,  a  man  of
17    integrity,  honor,  and  dignity,  who brought gentleness and
18    respect into the fields of government, law, politics, and all
19    aspects of his life; and

20        WHEREAS,  Justice  Michael   A.   Bilandic   made   vital
21    contributions  of  service and merit to the State of Illinois
22    and  to  the  State's  citizens  and  deserves  to  have  his
23    achievements noted  and  remembered  by  current  and  future
24    generations,  as  his  memory  is  now honored by the General
25    Assembly; therefore, be it

26        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
27    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
28    SENATE  CONCURRING  HEREIN,  that  we  rename  the  State  of
29    Illinois Building at 160 North La Salle Street in Chicago  in
30    honor of Michael Bilandic; and in implementing this honor, we
31    designate   that  State  building  as  the  Michael  Bilandic
32    Building; and be it further
 
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 1        RESOLVED, That a  suitable  copy  of  this  preamble  and
 2    resolution be presented to the Director of Central Management
 3    Services.