HJ0066 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0066 LRB104 21807 LAW 37527 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the members of the Illinois General Assembly recognize the accomplishments and contributions made by exceptional officials and citizens of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Former State Representative and House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie was a 40-year veteran of the Illinois House of Representatives and the first woman to hold the post of Majority Leader of the Illinois House; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Flynn Currie was born the daughter of Francis and Elsie Flynn in LaCrosse, Wisconsin on May 3, 1940; at the age of seven, she and her family moved to Chicago's South Side, where she attended St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School and the University of Chicago Lab High School; she attended the University of Chicago before withdrawing to marry in 1960; she later returned, earning her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Political Science in 1968 and 1973, respectively, while raising young children; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Flynn Currie was first elected to the Illinois House's 24th District in 1978, becoming one of just 21 women then in the Illinois General Assembly; her district changed to the 26th District in 1983 and the 25th District in 1993, and it encompassed Hyde Park, Woodlawn, South Shore, and Kenwood; she was appointed as majority leader in 1997, where she routinely proved herself through preparation, discipline, and intellect; during her tenure, she chaired the special 21-member bipartisan committee that recommended the impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2009; while she retired from the Illinois House in early 2019, she continued to remain involved in State government and politics; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her distinguished service, Rep. Flynn Currie was a tireless promoter of active, engaged, effective government who was trusted and respected for her keen intellect, fairness, and balance; considered the first progressive legislator of Illinois, she became known as a vigorous proponent of liberal causes, including prohibiting sexual harassment and guaranteeing maternity leave in the workplace, and she delivered on issues involving raising the minimum wage, expanding early childhood education funding, advancing gun safety reform, and securing Illinois as a safe haven for reproductive rights; she spearheaded a compromise on welfare reform, helped extend state contracts to minority-owned and female-owned businesses, and led negotiations on campaign finance reform and criminal justice reform; she was especially known for her work to advance equity through the Earned Income Tax Credit and Equal Pay Act; and

WHEREAS, Outside of the Illinois House of Representatives, Rep. Flynn Currie worked as vice president for the Chicago League of Women Voters from 1965 to 1969; later, she taught government at DePaul University, was an assistant study director at the National Opinion Research Center, and served as chairman of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, a position she held until her passing; she also helped organize the Illinois Women in Leadership Training Academy (IWILTA), which has since prepared generations of women to run for public office; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Flynn Currie passed away on April 16, 2026 at the age of 85; she was the wife of the late David Park Currie, the mother of two children, Stephen and Margaret, the grandmother of four, and the mentor and friend of many; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Flynn Currie was an iconic, pioneering public servant, a master negotiator, and a meticulous, pragmatic legislator who led Illinois through some of its darkest moments, making it stronger; her unwavering commitment to service left an indelible mark on the Illinois politics that continues to this day, with there now being 78 women serving in the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, For her work and her impact on the State of Illinois, Rep. Flynn Currie deserves having her likeness memorialized in the form of a portrait that hangs on the walls of the State Capitol Building, inspiring generations to come; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Office of the Architect of the Capitol to oversee the design and creation of a portrait for the State Capitol Building of the late former State Representative and House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a trailblazer in State politics whose work improved the lives of countless Illinoisans while expanding opportunities for generations of women.