HR0114LRB101 07140 MST 52178 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 





  
2    WHEREAS, Judy Baar Topinka was born to immigrant parents 
3Lillian Mary Shuss and William D. Baar on January 16,
1944 in 
4Riverside; after attending public school, she graduated from 
5Northwestern University's Medill
School of Journalism in 1966; 
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, Judy Baar Topinka worked as a reporter, education 
8editor, feature writer, feature editor, and
photographer and 
9received honors from the Illinois Women's Press Association, 
10the Illinois Press
Association, and the Illinois State Medical 
11Society for her work covering advances in the medical field; 
12and
 
13    WHEREAS, Judy Baar Topinka's time covering politics and 
14local issues as a journalist motivated
her move into politics; 
15in 1980, she was elected to serve in the Illinois House of 
16Representatives, before
being elected to the Senate in 1984, 
17where she served until 1995; and
 
18    WHEREAS, In 1994, Judy Baar Topinka achieved the 
19distinction of being the first woman elected to serve as State

20Treasurer, becoming only the second woman in Illinois history 
21to hold a State constitutional executive
office; she served 
22three terms; and
 
 
 
HR0114- 2 -LRB101 07140 MST 52178 r

1    WHEREAS, In 2006, Judy Baar Topinka ran for Governor of 
2Illinois, becoming only the second woman to win a major
party's 
3nomination for governor in the State; and
 
4    WHEREAS, In 2010, Judy Baar Topinka was elected to serve as 
5the Illinois State Comptroller, making her the first
woman to 
6serve in two State constitutional offices in Illinois; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Judy Baar Topinka was a trailblazer and dedicated 
8to community, honest governance, and human rights; therefore, 
9be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
11HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
12we urge the owner of the Comptroller building in Springfield to 
13work with CMS to name the building in honor of Judy Baar 
14Topinka; and be it further
 
  
15    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
16delivered to  the owner of the Comptroller building in 
17Springfield, the Illinois Comptroller, and the Director of CMS.