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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor our esteemed former
4 colleague, Gary Hannig, for his many years of service to the
5 people of the 98th District and the State of Illinois; we also
6 wish to congratulate him on his appointment to become Secretary
7 of the Illinois Department of Transportation; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Gary Hannig was first elected to office in
9 November of 1978, serving as the youngest member of the House
10 of Representatives for several terms; a proud downstate
11 legislator for 30 years and 15 terms, he faithfully represented
12 the concerns of the farmers, miners, and working families that
13 made up his district and endeavored to ensure their concerns
14 were represented and voices heard at the Illinois State
15 Capitol; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Representative Hannig built a reputation as an
17 honest legislator with a ready ear, willing to share his fiscal
18 and budget expertise with new legislators and to work with
19 members on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to make
20 Illinois a better place to live; always affable and courteous,
21 he took a genuine interest in the lives of his colleagues,
22 legislative staff, and their families; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Representative Hannig, throughout his
2 distinguished career, played a role in passing legislation to
3 raise the minimum wage, expand access to health care for the
4 uninsured, protect the rights of union workers, increase the
5 use of alternative energy sources from Illinois farmers, foster
6 rural economic development, increase education funding for
7 local schools, protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners,
8 and strengthen ethics and election statutes, and many
9 significant bills that have made Illinois a better State; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Gary Hannig has served on many committees,
11 including the Elementary and Secondary Education, General
12 Services Appropriations, and Agriculture committees; he also
13 served as Deputy Majority Leader and chief budget negotiator
14 for Speaker Michael J. Madigan, and as Chair of the Downstate
15 Democratic Caucus, co-chair of the Legislative Audit
16 Commission, and as a member of the Legislative Sportsmen's
17 Caucus; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Gary Hannig paid special attention to charitable
19 organizations in his district, including extensive involvement
20 as a member of the Mt. Olive Knights of Columbus, the Benld
21 Croatian Lodge, and the Litchfield Rotary Club; he has also
22 been honored with numerous awards and commendations from
23 organizations such as the Illinois Education Association, the
24 Illinois Farm Bureau, Lincoln Land Community College, the

 

 

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1 Illinois Primary Healthcare Association, and the Illinois
2 Retired Teachers Association, among many others; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Gary Hannig graduated in the top ten percent of
4 his class at Mt. Olive High School and graduated with honors
5 and a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of
6 Illinois; he passed the Certified Public Accountant exam in
7 1975 and worked as a CPA until his election to the Illinois
8 House of Representatives; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Gary Hannig lives in Litchfield with his wife,
10 Elizabeth; and while the boundaries of his district changed
11 over the years, his commitment to the people of Central
12 Illinois and the values that make the region a great place to
13 live and raise a family has never wavered; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives has lost an
15 invaluable source of technical and institutional knowledge,
16 and a man who exemplifies the true meaning of public service;
17 and while the members of the Illinois House are sorry that
18 Representative Hannig has left our ranks, they realize that his
19 departure will allow him to make a difference in the lives of
20 many more Illinoisans, and that his knowledge, honesty, and
21 commitment to the people of Illinois is greatly needed at this
22 time of transition in the executive branch of Illinois
23 government; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3 wish our former colleague, State Representative Gary Hannig,
4 all the best in his future endeavors, and congratulates him for
5 his appointment to the position of Secretary of the Illinois
6 Department of Transportation and thanks him for his many years
7 of honest and dedicated service to the people of the State of
8 Illinois; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10 presented to former Illinois State Representative Gary Hannig
11 as an expression of our deep esteem and respect.