State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HR0902

 
                                               LRB9115048RHrh

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of  the  Illinois  General  Assembly
 3    were  saddened  to  learn  of  the  death  of  Luellen Watson
 4    Laurenti of Normal on June 17, 2000; and

 5        WHEREAS, Luellen, a women's rights activist and lobbyist,
 6    was born in Charleston, West Virginia on August 27, 1939; she
 7    attended  elementary  and  high  school  in  Charleston   and
 8    graduated  from  Marietta  College  in  Ohio;  she  earned  a
 9    master's  degree  in foreign languages from the University of
10    Illinois; she moved to central  Illinois  in  1963  to  teach
11    Spanish  and  women's studies at Illinois State University in
12    Normal, Illinois; and

13        WHEREAS, Her life's work was "for women";  she  dedicated
14    her  life  to legislative and electoral issues to advance the
15    status  of  women  and  create  opportunities  for  the  next
16    generation of women; Luellen was  a  leader  in  the  women's
17    movement  as  lobbyist  for  Illinois  NOW  and  the American
18    Association  of  University  Women  and  as   a   legislative
19    consultant  for  Governor  Ryan's Commission on the Status of
20    Women;  she  was  the  President  of  Bloomington  NOW,   the
21    President  of  Illinois  NOW  from  1985  through  1987,  the
22    recipient  of  the  Illinois  NOW  the President's Award, the
23    Executive  Director  of  the   International   Women's   Year
24    Conference   in   Bloomington,  Illinois  in  1977,  and  the
25    Democratic State Central  Committeewoman  from  1984  through
26    1998   and   was  nationally  known  as  a  feminist  leader,
27    historian, and scholar; she is a significant part of  women's
28    history in the State of Illinois; Luellen was and always will
29    be known as an activist for the ERA; and

30        WHEREAS,  She  worked  unceasingly for over 3 decades for
31    the right of all women to have access  to  a  full  range  of
32    comprehensive  health  options  during their lives, including
 
                            -2-                LRB9115048RHrh
 1    the right to abortion and birth control services,  free  from
 2    coercion  and intimidation and available to all regardless of
 3    their ability to pay; and

 4        WHEREAS, She worked with the Illinois General Assembly as
 5    an advocate and lobbyist for women's rights for the  last  12
 6    years; she exhibited a unique ability to work with members of
 7    both  parties in the Illinois General Assembly on legislation
 8    that would  benefit  all  people  regardless  of  their  age,
 9    gender,  race, ability, or sexual orientation; she understood
10    the political and the personal,  legislative  processes,  and
11    grassroots  action and knew when each was necessary to effect
12    change; she was  an  ally,  adversary,  leader,  mentor,  and
13    friend  to  us as we represent and work for the people of the
14    State of Illinois; therefore, be it

15        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
16    NINETY-FIRST  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17    we note with sorrow  and  regret  the  death  of  Luellen  W.
18    Laurenti  and express our sincere condolences to her husband,
19    Joseph, her beloved cats, Leo and Nappy, family, friends, and
20    the thousands of Illinois women who call her sister;  and  be
21    it further

22        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
23    presented to her husband, Joseph Laurenti, Illinois NOW,  and
24    Illinois  NOW for inclusion in the Luellen Laurenti papers at
25    the University of Illinois at Springfield Archives.

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