HR0076 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0076 LRB099 07269 MST 27518 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened by the death of our friend and colleague, former State Representative Rosemary Mulligan of Des Plaines, who passed away on December 30, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was born and raised in Chicago; she moved with her family to Park Ridge in 1955, and then moved to Des Plaines when she married; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan earned her Associate of Arts and Science degree in Legal Technology from Harper College in Palatine in 1982; she was a recipient of a 4-year scholarship from Illinois State University in Normal, and received further education at the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1992, serving the people of northwest suburban Cook County in the 65th District (formerly the 55th District) for 20 years, retiring in January 2013; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was the first Des Plaines resident to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure in the General Assembly, Rep. Mulligan became a respected leader on State budget issues (particularly human services appropriations), family and women's issues, health care, and early childhood education; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was recognized for her expertise in prescription drug problems, compulsive gambling, health insurance coverage and reforms, welfare-to-work, and victims' rights; and

WHEREAS, Some of Rep. Mulligan's key accomplishments include passage of a bill making female genital mutilation illegal in Illinois, the establishment of the veterans' scratch-off lottery card to fund veteran's programs in Illinois, a bill to allow for an income tax check-off to help pay for prosthesis replacements for veterans, securing funding for fighting flooding issues in the Des Plaines River area, instituting programs to fight compulsive gambling and other addictions, casting a deciding vote in favor of Illinois' civil unions bill and advancing marriage equality, and addressing transportation issues, including the S-curve in Des Plaines on which she worked with the late Des Plaines Mayor Paul Jung and former State Representative Carolyn Krause; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan served as majority chair or minority spokesperson of the Illinois House Human Services Appropriations Committee for 17 of her 20 years in the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan served on many committees throughout her time in the General Assembly, including the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the Access to Federal Funding Committee (minority spokesperson), the Appropriations for Elementary & Secondary Education Committee, the Appropriations for Human Services Committee (minority spokesperson), the Business & Occupational Licenses Committee, the Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee, the Health Care Licenses Committee, and the Medicaid Reform, Family & Children Services Committee (minority spokesperson); and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan served on numerous other task forces and committees, including the Illinois Discharged Service Member Task Force, the Governor's Senior Pharmaceutical Assistance Review Committee, the Joint Task Force on Immigrant Issues, the Early Intervention Task Force, the Elder Abuse Task Force, and the Illinois Workforce Investment Board; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was selected to attend the Women's Political and Economic Leadership Conferences in Northern Ireland and London in 1999; she was also a delegate to Israel and was the program chair for the White House Women's Economic Leadership Summit in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan additionally served on the Citizens Council on Children, the Illinois Clemency Project for Battered Women, and the National Advisory Council of the Campaign for Women's Health; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan received numerous awards and honors during her legislative career and was named "One of the Top 100 Women Making A Difference" by Today's Chicago Woman; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan received countless awards for her advocacy and work in the legislature and community, including the Health Care Council of Illinois Legislator of the Year Award, the Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation Certificate of Appreciation, the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Legislative Champion Award, the American Cancer Society Leadership Award for the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, the Maine Center Legislative Star Award, the Illinois Farm Bureau ACTIVATOR Friend of Agriculture Award, the Illinois Health Care Association Legislator of the Year, the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence Legislative Advocacy Award, the Illinois Area Vocational Directors Council and Illinois Education Employment System Directors Leadership Certificate of Appreciation, the Illinois Primary Health Care Association Legislative Advocacy Award, the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Certificate of Appreciation, the Civic Leadership Recognition Award of the Polish American Leadership Initiative, the Legislative Award of the Italian American Political Coalition, the Friend of Consumer Award from the Illinois Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications, the Legislator of the Year Award from The Harbour, Inc., the Youth Campus Award, the Francine M. Bernstein Make It Happen Award, the Leadership Award from the Illinois Library Association, the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Campaign for Better Health, the Certificate of Appreciation from the Illinois Immigrant Coalition, the National Pathfinder Award from the Center for Policy Alternatives, the Legislator of the Year Award from the North Suburban Library System, the Outstanding Working Woman of the Year Award from the Illinois Business & Professional Women, the Leadership Award from the Illinois Library Association, the Human Dignity Award from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Legislator of the Year from the National Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling, the Legislator of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of Community Mental Health Agencies, the Courage Award from the Women's Leadership Conference, the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Award, the Heart Start Chicago Award of the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs, the Illinois Community College Trustee Association Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Champion of Local Government Award from the Suburban Mayors Action Coalition of Cook County; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan served in various professional and community organizations, including the Flemming Fellow Leadership National Board, the National Conference of State Legislators Health Forum, the Illinois Conference of Women Legislators, the Illinois Federation of Business and Professional Women, the Advisory Board of Avenues to Independence, the Advisory Board of Have Dreams, the Illinois Republican Committeewoman's Roundtable, the Maine Township Regular Republican Organization, the Northwest Suburban Republican Women, the League of Women Voters, the National Women's Political Caucus, and the Illinois Women's Political Caucus; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan was a champion of women's reproductive freedom and a passionate advocate for access to quality health care; particularly for children, the elderly, the developmentally disabled, and those with special needs; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Mulligan raised 2 sons, Dan and Matt, and was the proud grandmother of Sophia and Isabelle; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Illinois House of Representatives will miss both the candor and dedication with which Rep. Mulligan tackled issues that came before the chamber and the passion with which she served her constituents; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family, friends, and constituents, the passing of Illinois State Representative Rosemary Mulligan; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Rep. Rosemary Mulligan as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.