SR1054 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1054 LRB097 23773 GRL 72928 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois State Senator Annazette Collins was born and raised in Chicago, where she earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from Chicago State University; she later earned her master's degree in criminal justice and furthered her graduate work in psychology counseling; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins began her professional career in social work; she has held positions as a corrections officer with the Cook County Probation Department and as an Administrator for both the Chicago Public Schools and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2001, representing the neighborhoods of the 10th Representative District; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins served on and led numerous committees during her career in the General Assembly, including the House Committees on Human Services, Judiciary II - Criminal Law (Vice-Chairperson), Public Utilities, State Government Administration, Juvenile Justice Reform (Chairperson), Elementary and Secondary Education, Commerce and Business Development, and Appropriations, as well as the Senate Committees on Education, Environment, Human Services, Licensed Activities, and State Government & Veterans Affairs; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins' desire to become more involved in helping working families led her to seek office in the State Senate, where she was appointed to represent Chicago's West Side from the 5th Legislative District in March of 2011; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins brought to the Senate years of valuable experience on issues regarding juvenile justice, enhancing education, youth concerns, social work, quality health care, and striving to improve the public sector in her community; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins has been a believer that quality and equal education should be a right for every child in every school by supporting measures that increased funding for city schools and serving as a strong proponent for student access to safe and disciplined learning environments; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins recognized the importance of children staying in school and worked to increase both the school day and school year to maximize learning time for school children; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins also worked to ensure remedial and summer school were focused on mathematics and reading, 2 skills vital to becoming a productive part of the workforce; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins has been a champion for juvenile justice system restructuring and is responsible for raising the age that an alleged delinquent minor can be put in a detention facility from 10 to 13; believing that young people deserve to have a second chance, Senator Collins introduced legislation to make certain that many of these youth are able to seek secondary education, enter the workforce, and become productive, tax-paying citizens by automatically expunging juvenile records at the age of 18; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins has been recognized as a public safety advocate for her work to improve funding for the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS), which gives police officers electronic access to missing and endangered person reports; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins has been a chief sponsor of adoption reform, working to place children in family environments whenever possible and by making efforts to allow godparents and second cousins to adopt children who are in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services; and

WHEREAS, Senator Collins received such awards as the Chicago Area Project Clifford R. Shaw Legislator of the Year Award and the State Interagency Committee on Employees with Disabilities Legislator for the Year Award for her outstanding public service; and

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate thank Senator Annazette Collins and extend to her our best wishes for her future endeavors; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Senator Annazette Collins for her years of service to the people of Illinois and honor her with this resolution; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Senator Annazette Collins as a symbol of our gratitude.