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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois relies on medicolegal | ||||||
| 3 | professionals, including medical examiners, coroners, forensic | ||||||
| 4 | pathologists, death investigators, forensic scientists, and | ||||||
| 5 | essential support staff, to serve at the critical intersection | ||||||
| 6 | of medicine, law, and public safety; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Illinois medicolegal professionals are entrusted | ||||||
| 8 | with the accurate and impartial investigation of deaths, the | ||||||
| 9 | determination of cause and manner of death, and the | ||||||
| 10 | application of scientific principles in support of the justice | ||||||
| 11 | system; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, These professionals are routinely required to | ||||||
| 13 | respond to death scenes, mass fatality incidents, public | ||||||
| 14 | health emergencies, natural disasters, and acts of violence | ||||||
| 15 | alongside law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical | ||||||
| 16 | services, and other public safety personnel; and | ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, Despite their essential on-scene and emergency | ||||||
| 18 | response responsibilities, medicolegal professionals are not | ||||||
| 19 | uniformly recognized as first responders, notwithstanding | ||||||
| 20 | their exposure to hazardous environments, traumatic scenes, | ||||||
| 21 | biohazards, and significant occupational stressors; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Acknowledging medicolegal professionals as first | ||||||
| 2 | responders affirms the critical nature of their work, supports | ||||||
| 3 | parity in professional recognition and resources, and enhances | ||||||
| 4 | coordinated emergency response, responder wellness, and public | ||||||
| 5 | safety outcomes; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, The National Association of Medical Examiners | ||||||
| 7 | (NAME) and the International Association of Coroners and | ||||||
| 8 | Medical Examiners (IACME) have each issued position statements | ||||||
| 9 | recognizing the importance of Medicolegal Professionals' Week, | ||||||
| 10 | affirming the essential role medicolegal professionals play in | ||||||
| 11 | death investigation, public health, the administration of | ||||||
| 12 | justice, and emergency response; and | ||||||
| 13 | WHEREAS, Recognizing Medicolegal Professionals' Week | ||||||
| 14 | fosters public awareness of the indispensable role these | ||||||
| 15 | professionals play in protecting public health, ensuring | ||||||
| 16 | accountability, and upholding justice across the State of | ||||||
| 17 | Illinois; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 18 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 19 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 20 | we declare the week of January 25 through January 31, 2026 as | ||||||
| 21 | Medicolegal Professionals' Week in the State of Illinois. | ||||||