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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Tony Paulauski on
the 
4occasion of his retirement as Executive Director of The Arc of 
5Illinois; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski has devoted his 45-year career to 
7advocating for children and adults with
developmental 
8disabilities; he has made it his priority to educate and inform 
9as many people as possible on
the importance of issues such as 
10providing inclusive community support for individuals with

11developmental disabilities; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski started his career serving as a 
13Special Education teacher for one year at
Wyanet High School; 
14he served 19 years as Executive Director of LARC in Lansing 
15from 1972 to 1991
and 25 years as the Executive Director of The 
16Arc of Illinois from 1991 to 2016; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski was instrumental in the creation of 
18many bills that benefit children and adults
with developmental 
19disabilities, including the bill to prohibit the death penalty 
20for individuals with
intellectual disabilities; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski was instrumental in the creation of 
 
 
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1several bills dealing with transition plans
for students with 
2disabilities, including a recent one that requires at least one 
3goal in independent living
skills; he worked on legislation on 
4Early Intervention and Brittany's Law which required school 
5districts
to allow students in special education who have 
6completed four years of high school to participate in
the 
7graduation ceremony with their peers; he worked on the 
8delegation of rights for Special Ed students
who reach majority 
9age and he was instrumental in creating Prioritization of 
10Urgency of Need
for Services (PUNS); and
 
11    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski worked on legislation to create the 
12Disability Services Act of 2003; he worked
on legislation to 
13protect persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities 
14who are victims of sexual
assault by allowing them to testify 
15in court by closed circuit TV; he worked on legislation on 
16Employment
First for individuals with developmental 
17disabilities; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski served on numerous boards, 
19commissions, and committees and was
appointed Chairman of the 
20Pace Blue Ribbon Committee on Paratransit; he served on the 
21Northeastern
Illinois Public Transit Task Force; and
  
 
22    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski is considered statewide and 
23nationally, to be a strong advocate for people with

 
 
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1developmental disabilities and their families; he is always 
2reminding caregivers, families, and legislators
what is most 
3important in providing services for individuals with 
4disabilities: community inclusion,
independence, and choice; 
5and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Tony Paulauski is married to Barbara Paulauski; 
7they have two children, Tony and Andy, and four
grandchildren; 
8therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
10NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
11congratulate Tony Paulauski on his retirement as Executive 
12Director of The Arc of Illinois and we wish him
continued 
13success and happiness in the future; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to Tony Paulauski as a symbol of our
esteem and 
16respect.