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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of our
4friend and former colleague, former State Representative
5Rosemary Mulligan, who passed away on December 30, 2014; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was born in Chicago on July 8, 1941
7to Stephen and Rose Granzyk; she attended Illinois State
8University and graduated from Harper College with an
9associate's degree in legal technology; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan first ran for State Representative
11in the 1990 primary election; initial results showed she had
12won, but a recount resulted in a tie and a subsequent lottery
13by coin-flip to determine the winner, which she also won; the
14court case and recount of ballots that followed would result in
15a reversal and even be cited in the ballot recount that
16followed the 2000 presidential election between then-Governor
17George W. Bush and then-Vice President Al Gore; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Though Rep. Mulligan lost her bid for office, she
19did not let this defeat deter her desire to serve the public;
20she persevered, and 2 years later won the Republican nomination
21for State Representative; she went on to win the general
22election in 1992 and took office in January of 1993; she served

 

 

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1the communities of Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, and Park
2Ridge for 20 years; and
 
3    WHEREAS, As the Republican Spokesperson for the Human
4Services Appropriations Committee, Rep. Mulligan was a staunch
5advocate for the families of Illinois and her district, and for
6health care and the developmentally disabled; she fought
7tirelessly to improve human services for the less fortunate
8while keeping a keen eye on State spending; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was a trailblazer for women's rights
10and issues; she passed bipartisan laws to protect victims of
11rape, to require emergency rooms to provide information to
12sexual assault victims about emergency contraception, to help
13low-income families get the health insurance and healthcare
14they need, and to help the families of American soldiers
15serving abroad receive assistance with State services; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was recognized by Today's Chicago
17Woman magazine for her efforts and was named to its "One Of The
18Top 100 Women Making A Difference" list in July 1997; and
 
19    WHEREAS, While Rep. Mulligan was known for her wit and
20sense of humor, she was also known for her fearlessness and how
21seriously she took the great responsibilities of her job as a
22legislator; while she was known for her no-nonsense

 

 

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1personality, fiery speeches, and debates on the House floor,
2she was also known for her willingness to reach across the
3aisle, her expertise on the State budget, and her passion to
4help the most vulnerable citizens in Illinois; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan remained active in her local
6community throughout her time in office and after; she served
7as an Advisory Board Member for Avenues to Independence and for
8Have Dreams, working to improve services for the
9developmentally disabled; after leaving State office, she was
10appointed to the Des Plaines Library Board, where she fought to
11improve resources for the children of Des Plaines; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan's public service was recognized
13when she received the Illinois Community College Trustees
14Association's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993; she was also
15active at the national level, serving as program chair for the
16White House Women's Economic Leadership Summit, and she
17represented the United States at the Women in the New Economy
18Summit when it convened in England and Northern Ireland; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan is survived by her children, Matthew
20(Christena) Bonaguidi and Daniel Bonaguidi; her grandchildren,
21Sophia and Isabelle; her brother, Stephen (Marilyn) Granzyk;
22her goddaughter, Patricia Richey; and several nieces and
23nephews; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we, along with her family and friends, mourn the passing of
4former State Representative Rosemary Mulligan; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Rep. Mulligan as an expression of
8our deepest sympathies and respect.