SR0728 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0728 LRB095 20411 KXB 47978 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Todd Sieben has represented the citizens of northwestern Illinois with distinction in the General Assembly for more than 21 years; and

WHEREAS, He has served with honor in the Senate since 1993, after three terms in the House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Senator Sieben's priorities have always been those of the people he represents - agriculture, education, business development, and job creation; and

WHEREAS, Todd became a lawmaker to make the State of Illinois a better place to live, bringing State government from the marble halls of the Capitol back home to the communities of northwestern Illinois; and

WHEREAS, His deep concern for the welfare and safety of school children resulted in his sponsorship of such important measures as a law requiring school buses to have safety arms on the front bumper; and legislation that would spotlight outstanding teachers and provide the best educational support for students; and

WHEREAS, He has sponsored laws protecting the rights and privacy of individuals, including the recent law establishing a statewide Restricted Call Registry for consumers; and

WHEREAS, He has always recognized the need to balance the best interests of the public and the conflicting views of all parties, as seen in his sponsorship of legislation that regulates large livestock production facilities, and in his continued work to balance the needs of the agriculture community with the concerns of environmental organizations; and

WHEREAS, He has always been a strong supporter of the agriculture economy, sponsoring a law encouraging the use of ethanol through the sales tax credit, protecting the CFAR agricultural research program and preserving the State's equine industries; and

WHEREAS, He served as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Conservation Committee from 1997 through 2002, helping to guide public policy that impacted farming, agriculture related businesses, and conservation issues; and

WHEREAS, He was selected to serve as Assistant Senate Republican Leader in 2003; and

WHEREAS, In the Senate, he most recently served as Republican Spokesman of the Senate Housing and Community Affairs Committee; as a member of the Senate Agriculture and Conservation Committee, the Senate Executive Committee, the Senate Insurance Committee and the Senate Labor Committee; as Co-chairman of the Legislative Information System; as Co-chairman of the Illinois Legislative Sportsman's Caucus; and as the first Chairman of the Legislative Ethics Commission; and

WHEREAS, A number of local and State organizations have honored Todd Sieben for his efforts in the General Assembly, including the Northwestern Region of the Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of Park Districts, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Electrical Cooperatives, Illinois Manufacturers' Association, National Federation of Independent Business, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Township Officials of Illinois, Illinois Education Association, Management Association of Illinois, Illinois Small Business Association, and the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities; and

WHEREAS, Todd Sieben has been involved in many civic organizations, including the Geneseo Jaycees, Geneseo American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, Geneseo Rotary Club, Geneseo Park District, Henry County Extension Council, Henry County Farm Bureau, and the Geneseo Masonic Lodge; and

WHEREAS, He has served as a coach for youth football, basketball, and baseball; and

WHEREAS, He has served as a director of Central Bank Geneseo since 1980; and

WHEREAS, He is a member of Grace United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, He was born July 11, 1945, and graduated from Geneseo public schools; and

WHEREAS, He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Western Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, He is a Vietnam veteran and served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1972; and

WHEREAS, He and his wife, Kay, have been married since 1968, and have three children and seven grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, In his more than 21 years as a lawmaker, Todd Sieben has represented his constituents in Springfield with determination and class, earning the respect and admiration of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle; and

WHEREAS, Lawmakers and staff alike know and appreciate Senator Sieben for his warmth, his kindness, and his easy smile; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Todd Sieben on his retirement from the Illinois General Assembly after more than 21 years of honorable and dedicated service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this preamble and resolution be presented to Todd Sieben with our friendship, our gratitude for his hard work, and our best wishes for his future endeavors.