SR0429 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0429 LRB096 14997 KXB 29920 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Senator Frank Watson served the people of Illinois, especially the citizens of Bond, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Macon, Madison, Marion, Moultrie, Shelby, and St. Clair counties, with distinction for 30 years, serving in the Illinois House of Representatives and Illinois Senate from 1979 to 2009; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson served honorably as Leader of the Senate Republican Caucus from December of 2002 to December of 2008, and was an Assistant Senate Majority Leader from 1993 to 2002, and a member of a number of important Senate committees such as Agriculture and Conservation, Appropriations, Education, Executive, and Transportation; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson's legislative career was marked by historic accomplishments, including welfare reform to provide opportunities for self-reliance by helping people move from the welfare rolls to the employment rolls, a program that became a model program for the nation; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson championed economic development issues that helped make Illinois more competitive with its neighboring states through the Economic Development for a Growing Economy or "EDGE" Program, which provided incentives for new jobs and business expansion; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson also led the fight to clean up polluted former industrial sites to help make them a suitable home for new industry and jobs; and

WHEREAS, Public education was one of Senator Watson's most important concerns, which led him to sponsor landmark Chicago school reform, to make education funding a budget priority, and to sponsor the College Illinois! and Bright Start college tuition programs to make higher education more affordable; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson, a long-time pharmacist and owner of his family's century-old Watson's Drug Store in downtown Greenville, took a deep interest in the issue of access to quality health care; and

WHEREAS, He sponsored a number of new laws during his career to improve rural health care, including HMO reform, a Patient's Bill of Rights, the expansion of prenatal testing, new health care options to improve access in medically-underserved areas, and a ground-breaking effort that led to medical malpractice insurance reform that helped turn the tide of the doctors leaving Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson was a tireless supporter of Illinois coal throughout his tenure in the Legislature, sponsoring and supporting legislation that helped coal companies keep operating during the difficult 1980s and 1990s; and supporting industry incentives to encourage more energy generating capacity; and

WHEREAS, He was a strong supporter of the FutureGen project and helped pave the way for the Tenaska Energy Park, which will use the rich coal reserves in southern Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson fought hard for transportation funding as important to economic development and job creation throughout the State, but especially in southern Illinois, including making U.S. Route 51 a top priority; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson was a defender of local government, raising the issue of unfunded mandates and helping to initiate a change in how State government conducts business; and

WHEREAS, Thanks to Senator Watson's leadership, mandates cannot be passed along to cities, counties, or other local units of government without proper funding from the State; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson's tireless work on behalf of the citizens of Illinois also included his work on numerous boards and commissions, which dealt with the fundamental issues of the day; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson has received numerous awards for his legislative work over the years from local, regional, State, and national organizations, from such diverse interests as veterans, economic development, health care, local government, seniors, and education; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson is a life-long resident and favorite son of Greenville, and graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor's degree in Pharmacy in 1968; and

WHEREAS, Senator Watson became very involved in his community beginning his public service career as Bond County Central Township Trustee and Supervisor, as a member of the Greenville Zoning Board of Appeals; and as a member of, and later President of, the Greenville Jaycees during 1973 and 1974, when he was selected as the Outstanding Jaycee in Illinois and one of five Outstanding Jaycees in the nation; and

WHEREAS, He was inducted into the Illinois Jaycee Hall of Fame in 1999; and

WHEREAS, With his retirement, Senator Frank Watson can now spend more time with his family; wife, Susan; daughter, Kami and son-in-law, Rod; son, Chad; daughter-in-law, Erin; and grandson, Brennan; and

WHEREAS, Senator Frank Watson's passion for his fellow citizens of Illinois was so heart-felt that from time to time it showed deeply upon his face and in his voice filled with emotion; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Senator Frank Watson for his remarkable service to the State of Illinois and its 12 million citizens and that we honor him with this resolution; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this preamble and resolution be presented to Frank Watson with our best wishes, our abiding friendship, and our deep appreciation.