HR1378 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1378 LRB097 23827 MST 73058 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor our friend and colleague, Illinois State Representative Sandy Cole, for her years of dedicated service to the people of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole was born on December 29, 1953, in Green Bay, Wisconsin; she earned her bachelor of science degree from Rockford College in 1976, where she majored in graphic arts, minored in mathematics, and received a secondary education teaching certificate; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole spent 10 years serving on the Lake County Board representing the 11th District from 1996-2006; she has been a leader on a wide variety of issues including open space, environmental protection, and transportation; she was widely regarded as a budget hawk on the Lake County Board and helped to set policy and direction for the county's budget; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole served as a Forest Preserve Commissioner, helping the Forest Preserve District acquire more than 7,000 acres of forest preserve land; she served as a director on the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County from 1998-2006, and as a director for the Soil and Water Conservation District of Lake County from 1994-1996; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole served as the State representative of the 62nd District from 2007 to 2013 where she championed her "Family Focus" legislative agenda, a comprehensive list of legislative priorities aimed at improving the quality of life for families and communities in Lake County and throughout Illinois; and

WHEREAS Representative Cole has been a leader in the General Assembly on women's health issues by hosting women and senior health and wellness fairs, and also by fighting hard to help pass legislation to fund the Sexual Assault Services and Prevention Fund, which helps provide critical services to women in need; and

WHEREAS Representative Cole was instrumental in securing open space grants for the Lake County Forest Preserve District, Lake Villa Township, and the Round Lake Area Park District for the construction of hiking trails, playgrounds, soccer fields, and other recreational facilities for the constituents of the 62nd District; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole has been a strong voice for fiscal responsibility, consistently voting to slash her own pay and working to balance the budget while holding the line on taxes to protect the citizens of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole has placed children's safety as a top priority including an expansion to the Infant Safe Haven laws, allowing mothers who are in crisis or who have nowhere else to turn a solution for the safety and well-being of the infant, and she also fought to enhance Illinois prison sentences to those that commit sexual crimes against children; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole, being a member of the Illinois Alzheimer's Legislators Alliance, has fought to bring awareness to this devastating disease; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole has sponsored a number of community events to assist children, families, and senior citizens, including an Autism forum for families affected by children with autism, a family internet safety seminar for parents and their kids, an unemployment insurance workshop for small businesses, a veterans services forum, a business prosperity town hall focused on state fiscal issues and several outreach events for local senior citizens; and

WHEREAS, Representative Cole has lived in Lake County for over 27 years and has been married to Stephen Cole for 29 years; they have 3 children, 2 daughters and one son and one grandchild, Annabel; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor our friend and colleague, Illinois State Representative Sandy Cole, for her years of dedicated service to the people of this State and wish her great success and happiness in her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Representative Cole as a symbol of our esteem and respect.