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SENATE RESOLUTION


 

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    WHEREAS, The Senate is grateful to those members who have 
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devoted their
energy and talent to the betterment of this body 
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and the well being of the
people of the State of Illinois; and

 

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    WHEREAS, Lawrence M. Walsh of Elwood has been a member of 
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the Illinois Senate since 1997 and has served this body with

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distinction; and

 

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    WHEREAS, Senator Walsh has served as Chairperson
of the 
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Agriculture & Conservation Committee and has been a member of 
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the Committees on Local Government, Labor & Commerce,  State 
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Government Operations, and Financial Institutions; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Senator Walsh's  many legislative
accomplishments 
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include  sponsorship or co-sponsorship of  legislation requiring 
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warning labels on retail gas pumps when fuels contain 2% or 
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more  of MTBE, suspending the 5% sales tax on gasoline for six 
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months, increasing penalties for sexual predators who solicit 
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children over the Internet, creating a "one call" process to 
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promote easier and safer digging during excavation or 
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demolition, giving property tax relief to homeowners, 
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furthering Alzheimer's research, increasing funding for 
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education, and comprehensively rewriting the Illinois Grain 
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Code; and
 

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    WHEREAS, He passed landmark legislation making popcorn the 
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State Snack of Illinois; and
 

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    WHEREAS, His soft-spoken demeanor has made him a required 
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study for freshmen Senators honing their oratorical skills; and
 

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    WHEREAS, He has served on numerous Blue Ribbon Commissions 
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throughout the State; and

 

 


 






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    WHEREAS, His early endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for 
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U.S. Senate helped catapult him to national prominence; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Senator Walsh  has received many awards for his 
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public service; he has served as Jackson Township Supervisor, 
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as a Will County Board member, and as Will County Democratic 
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Chairman; and

 

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    WHEREAS, He is known for being a staff-friendly Senator who 
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opens up his home to all and never forgets a name; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Senator Walsh will be remembered fondly by those 
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who
served with him in the Illinois Senate; he was elected Will 
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County Executive in November and he will ably serve the public 
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in his new position; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Senator 
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Lawrence M. Walsh upon his retirement from the Senate and his 
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assumption of his new duties as Will County Executive, and we 
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offer our best wishes to him and his wife, Irene, their 
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children, Larry, Jr., Frank, Matthew, Sarah, Shawn and Brian; 
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and their ten grandchildren; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Senator Larry Walsh as an expression of our esteem 
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and
respect for our colleague and friend.