HR0982 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0982 LRB103 43705 LAW 77065 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to honor our colleague, State Representative Kelly Burke, on her 14 years of esteemed service as a member of the Illinois General Assembly and thank her for her dedication to the State and her community; and

WHEREAS, Since being elected in 2010, Rep. Burke has shown her abiding commitment to the 36th House District, consisting of the 19th and 18th Wards as well as Evergreen Park and Oak Lawn; she and her husband, Terry, have three children and live in Evergreen Park, where she has resided for nearly 30 years; and

WHEREAS, Prior to running for office, Rep. Burke received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her Juris Doctor from the John Marshall Law School before becoming an attorney at an Evergreen Park-based firm; further, she worked on the staff of Saint Xavier University for six years; she also spent two terms on the Evergreen Park Library Board, serving as president, and she continues to be involved with the library through its foundation; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Burke has volunteered in Evergreen Park for many years, notably with Most Holy Redeemer Parish, where she was a board member of the Women's Guild, founded a Mock Trial program for grade school students, coached youth sports, and helped prepare meals for the Su Casa shelter; she is an advisory board member of the Women's Bar Foundation and volunteers with the Restorative Justice program at Leo High School; and

WHEREAS, In 2012, Rep. Burke was selected to participate in the inaugural class of the Edgar Fellows program at the University of Illinois, an initiative of former Gov. Jim Edgar to promote responsible, responsive, bi-partisan leadership throughout Illinois; she also serves as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Burke successfully ran for election as a trustee of the Village of Evergreen Park in 2019, and she later became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Evergreen Park, a position she still currently holds; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her time in the State legislature, Rep. Burke was a passionate advocate for issues most important to her district and the State, working closely on State budgets, education funding, pensions, public safety, and much more; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Burke, a fierce advocate for individuals with disabilities, championed a piece of legislation that created the ABLE 529-style savings accounts for people with disabilities, making it easier for these individuals to gain access to a critical program that allows them to save for their future; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Burke additionally supported the creation of AIM HIGH, a scholarship program hailed as a game changer for students and families working to afford a college education, making it a reality for tens of thousands of modest-income students; and

WHEREAS, As one of the founding members of the House Democratic Women's Caucus, Rep. Burke has been dedicated to crafting policy to promote the interests of women statewide, and her work has strengthened the voice of women working in the Capitol, including legislators, advocates, and staffers, and created stronger policies against harassment and intimidation; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Burke chaired the Ethics and Elections Committee, where she passed a comprehensive ethics package to eradicate corruption and increase transparency in State government; during her time as chair, she also worked to expand voting by mail and safe voter participation during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, Rep. Burke was appointed by Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch to serve as an assistant majority leader, where she continued to prioritize values that were most important to her, including collaboration, inclusivity, and assisting her colleagues in delivering results for their communities; further, she was named chair of the Revenue Committee, where she maintained the committee's focus on fiscal responsibility and smart budgeting; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Burke has spent much time locally, meeting with constituents, holding town hall meetings, and sponsoring local events such as basketball tournaments and the popular summer activity Yoga in the Park at 50-Acre Park; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Burke has been appreciated by all who have had the opportunity to serve alongside her for her quick wit, her warm friendship, her ability to work across the aisle, and her commitment to bringing people together for the betterment of our State; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor and thank State Representative Kelly Burke for her years of dedicated service, and we wish her the best in her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rep. Burke as an expression of our esteem and respect.