HR1398 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1398 LRB098 23377 MST 62507 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor our esteemed colleague, State Representative Maria Antonia "Toni" Berrios, on her 12 years as a member of the Illinois General Assembly and to thank her for her dedicated service to her State and her community; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios was born and raised on the northwest side of Chicago; she attended Notre Dame High School for Girls and Northeastern Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2002, becoming the first Puerto Rican-American woman elected to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios has been a strong advocate for some of the most vital issues facing Illinois families, including working to raise the minimum wage, ensuring equal pay for women, and securing marriage equality; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios is an active member of her community; she holds an annual Back to School Fair to help provide needed resources for area families, an event that has offered less-fortunate families the opportunity to receive school supplies, immunizations, and other services; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios was the first woman elected as Co-chair of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, serving as a staunch advocate on Latino issues; she fought to provide more scholarship opportunities for Latino children to attend college; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios has championed the cause of consumer protection; she served as Chair of the Financial Institutions Committee and worked hard to provide stronger safeguards for residents against fraud; she promoted programs to help struggling homeowners and renters, and she consistently helped make the voices of the less-fortunate heard; and

WHEREAS, All who have served with Rep. Berrios will miss her warm smile and diligence on behalf of her district's residents and to the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate and thank State Representative Maria Antonia "Toni" Berrios for her years of dedicated service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rep. Berrios as an expression of our respect, esteem, and best wishes.