SR2454 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR2454 LRB099 24109 MST 51774 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, State Senator Gary Forby has represented the communities of the State of Illinois and the families of the 59th Senate District since 2003; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby began his work in public service on the Franklin County Board; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby joined the Illinois General Assembly in 2001, serving first in the Illinois House of Representatives before filling the vacancy created by Senator Larry Woolard's retirement in 2003; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby is a lifelong resident of Southern Illinois; he was born in Anna and moved to Benton at an early age, where he still resides; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby has long been an influential and positive presence in Southern Illinois, as a small business owner providing services to local residents and operating a pro-union, fair-wage excavating company; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby brought integrity to his public service by ensuring his votes in the Legislature were cast with the people and the welfare of Southern Illinois in mind; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby has gained the respect of other elected officials in his district, oftentimes working closely with mayors and city administrators to bring State dollars back to Southern Illinois to help with projects; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby has been a leader in bringing key projects home to his district such as the funding to construct the I-57 on-ramp in Marion and expanding the Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado and the Herrin Hospital; he helped communities throughout the region receive emergency grant funding to keep people safe from hazardous conditions, and multiple school construction grants that brought new schools to Carterville and Marion; and

WHEREAS, As a union member himself for over 40 years, and Chair of the Senate Labor Committee, Senator Forby has been the voice of middle class, working families in an uphill battle to ensure labor continues to have a strong presence here in Illinois and that people continue to receive fair, livable wages; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby has been strong in his fight for job creation and the coal industry throughout not only Southern Illinois, but Illinois as a whole; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby helped pass a measure to create the Coal Mining and Electric Generation Act, which brought half a million dollars in funding to help finance the expansion of coal burning power plants in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby has continually worked on pro-coal legislation during his tenure in office, and has been one of the loudest voices for the coal industry in Springfield by working to pass pro-coal measures every year since he has been in office; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby served as the chief sponsor in the Senate to lead the effort in bringing concealed carry to Illinois; he stood strong in his efforts to override Governor Quinn's amendatory veto to see the measure move forward; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby has been genuine to his district, fighting to ensure the Southern Illinois region gets its fair share and is not overlooked; and

WHEREAS, When Southern Illinois primary schools were facing uncertainty, Senator Forby worked in a bipartisan fashion to help pass a K-12 budget that allowed the schools in his district to receive adequate funding; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby knows the importance of education in his district and has been steadfast in his support for Southern Illinois University by ensuring it continues to receive State funding to help it continue to attract students throughout the country and provide an excellent education for future job seekers; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby is the loving father of daughters, Lisa Black, and Mackenzie Fleetwood, sons, Justin Forby, and Jeremy Fleetwood, and grandfather to his granddaughter, Hannah Forby; and

WHEREAS, Senator Forby will return to Benton, where he remains active in many local organizations, including the Shriners and Elks Club; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Gary Forby for his dedicated service to the people of Illinois and honor him with this resolution; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Gary Forby with our best wishes for his future endeavors.