Full Text of SR2581 99th General Assembly
SR2581 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, State Senator John Sullivan has represented the | 3 | | citizens of the State of Illinois and the
residents of the 47th | 4 | | Legislative District since 2003; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan was elected in 2002 to represent | 6 | | the historically Republican district with the
distinction of | 7 | | being the only Democrat State Senator with two Republican | 8 | | representatives and the largest
geographical State Senate | 9 | | District in Illinois; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, As a working farmer in the State Senate and a | 11 | | lifelong resident of the 47th Senate District, Senator Sullivan | 12 | | has first-hand knowledge of agriculture and has been an | 13 | | effective voice in Springfield for farmers across Illinois; | 14 | | during his service as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture | 15 | | Committee, he worked with great diligence to make sure current | 16 | | laws evolved to meet new demands and that new laws were created | 17 | | with the best interests of Illinois farmers in mind; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan was awarded the Friend of | 19 | | Agriculture award by the Illinois Farm Bureau
ACTIVATOR seven | 20 | | times for standing up for Illinois farmers; he worked to ensure | 21 | | Illinois consistently took
advantage of crop-based fuels by | 22 | | expanding ethanol tax incentives to include soy-based diesel |
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| 1 | | fuels and
providing three million dollars for research to | 2 | | invest further in this technology to grow the Illinois | 3 | | agriculture industry
and decrease dependence on foreign oil; | 4 | | and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Putting political affiliation aside, Senator | 6 | | Sullivan served as the chief negotiator for the 2009
$31 | 7 | | billion capital construction program that addressed vital | 8 | | regional priorities such as the Macomb bypass
and continued | 9 | | construction towards a four-lane U.S. 34 between Monmouth and | 10 | | Burlington; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, During his time in the Senate, Senator Sullivan | 12 | | has looked for every way the State could save
money and cut | 13 | | down on wasteful spending; this is evident by his success in | 14 | | spearheading bipartisan
legislation to find $9.2 million in | 15 | | yearly savings by changing the way the Temporary Assistance to | 16 | | Needy
Families (TANF) entitlement program is administered by | 17 | | limiting retroactive payments; ultimately the
legislation | 18 | | passed the House and Senate with unanimous support; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan, an avid hunter, worked to | 20 | | protect the Second Amendment
rights of Illinois residents by | 21 | | securing the passage of concealed carry laws, extending deer | 22 | | hunting hours, youth hunting
licenses, creating otter hunting | 23 | | season, and updating concealed carry laws to allow competent |
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| 1 | | and
qualified hunters with mild disabilities to obtain a | 2 | | concealed carry permit; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Understanding the importance of creating future | 4 | | jobs and taking care of our vulnerable
populations, Senator | 5 | | Sullivan worked to create a consensus to open a new treatment | 6 | | facility in Rushville
for those seeking treatment for sexually | 7 | | violent behavior by hosting local meetings in Rushville to
| 8 | | answer questions and provide assurances to concerned community | 9 | | residents and then later fighting for
a $13 million expansion | 10 | | to alleviate overcrowding in the facility; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan has worked hard to enhance | 12 | | transportation and economic development
opportunities in | 13 | | Quincy by helping to secure over $1.2 million in State funding | 14 | | to revitalize downtown
Quincy and make sure it is safe, | 15 | | accessible, and well-lit for residents; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Putting veterans first, Senator Sullivan worked | 17 | | diligently to secure and protect veterans at
the Quincy | 18 | | Veterans Home by securing over $16.3 million to keep the Quincy | 19 | | Veterans Home Guest House
open, funding safety renovations and | 20 | | repairs; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, To honor returning Illinois veterans and help them | 22 | | find gainful employment, Senator Sullivan
wrote and passed a |
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| 1 | | law with unanimous support to implement a 20% tax credit for | 2 | | Illinois
employers when they hire an unemployed veteran who has | 3 | | served on active duty since September 11, 2001; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan believes in true constituent | 5 | | service and common sense legislation; he
has worked with many | 6 | | of his constituents to write laws to address the needs of | 7 | | Illinois residents, such as his
initiative to increase | 8 | | educational opportunities for Illinois National Guard members | 9 | | by allowing Guard
members to be eligible for a grant for up to | 10 | | one year after their service ends to make sure
Illinois | 11 | | veterans are able to take advantage of these vital benefits; | 12 | | and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan, recognizing the importance of | 14 | | investing in higher education due to the
economic and | 15 | | educational benefits, secured over $820 million in funding for | 16 | | Western Illinois University
in Macomb; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan understands the importance of | 18 | | working with every stakeholder, regardless of
their political | 19 | | party, to guarantee the residents of the 47th State Senate | 20 | | District are represented to the
best of his ability which can | 21 | | be seen by the support he has received by a wide variety of | 22 | | organizations, unions
and associations such as the Illinois | 23 | | Farm Bureau, Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs |
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| 1 | | (IAAF), the
Illinois Association of Soil and Water Conservation | 2 | | Districts, and Extension Partners, the Illinois
Manufacturers' | 3 | | Association, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois | 4 | | AFL-CIO, the Illinois Federation of
Teachers, the Illinois | 5 | | Education Association, University Professionals of Illinois, | 6 | | the National Rifle Association,
the Illinois Fraternal Order of | 7 | | Police, and many others; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan has built a reputation as an | 9 | | effective legislator who is always
willing to reach across the | 10 | | political aisle to work in a bipartisan manner; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Senator Sullivan is the devoted husband of 33 | 12 | | years to Joan Sullivan; the loving father
of son, Matt, and | 13 | | daughter-in-law, Karla; daughter, Emily; son, Luke, and | 14 | | daughter-in-law, Charlene; son, Mark;
and granddaughters, | 15 | | Elaine, Audrey, Molly, and Rosie; therefore, be it
| 16 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL | 17 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Senator John | 18 | | Sullivan for his dedicated service to the people of Western | 19 | | Illinois and honor him with
this resolution; and be it further
| 20 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 21 | | presented to Senator John Sullivan
with our best wishes for his | 22 | | future endeavors.
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