Bill Text: IL HR0715 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, and declares January 25, 2020 as "Kobe Bryant Day".

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-06-23 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HR0715 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HR0715-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of NBA
superstar Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, on January 26,
2020; and
WHEREAS, Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania to Joe and Pamela Cox Bryant on August 23, 1978;
when he was six, his family moved to Italy, and he spent many
of his formative years there learning Italian and playing
soccer; he returned to the U.S. during the summers to play in
basketball summer leagues; he earned national recognition
while playing basketball at Lower Merion High School in
Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he played on the varsity
basketball team as a freshman; and
WHEREAS, Kobe Bryant joined the NBA directly from high
school and played his entire 20-season professional career with
the Los Angeles Lakers, his favorite team while growing up; and
WHEREAS, During his career, Kobe Bryant won five NBA
championships (2000–2002, 2009, 2010); he was an 18-time
All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, and 12-time
member of the All-Defensive Team; he was named the 2008 NBA
Most Valuable Player and was a two-time NBA Finals MVP; he led

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the NBA in scoring during two seasons, ranks fourth on the
league's all-time regular season scoring, and ranks fourth on
the all-time postseason scoring list; he is also a two-time
Gold Medal Winner with the U.S. Men's Basketball Team (2008
Beijing, 2012 London); he is widely regarded as one of the
greatest basketball players of all time; and
WHEREAS, Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 60 points against
Utah in his last NBA game on April 13, 2016, outscoring the
entire Jazz team 23–21 in the fourth quarter in a Lakers'
victory; he became the oldest player to score 60 or more points
in a game at 37 years and 234 days old; and
WHEREAS, Kobe Bryant said that he wanted more out of life
than just a successful basketball career; he married Vanessa
Laine at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana
Point, California on April 18, 2001, and they had four
daughters, Natalia, Gianna, Vanessa, and Capri; his daughter,
Gianna, had a passion for basketball, and he enjoyed sharing
his love of basketball with her; and
WHEREAS, Gianna Maria Onore Bryant, also referred to as
Gigi, was born on May 1, 2006; she considered her Kobe a role
model and cited him as a reason she wanted to play in the WNBA;
she played youth basketball for the Mamba Sports Academy, where
she was coached by her father; she wanted to play college

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basketball at the University of Connecticut and regularly
attended UConn, WNBA, and Lakers games with Kobe; she had a
very close relationship with her father and was usually by his
side; and
WHEREAS, Kobe Bryant was the official ambassador for
After-School All-Stars, an American non-profit organization
that provides comprehensive after-school programs to children;
he also started the Kobe Bryant China Fund, which raises money
within China for education and health programs; on November 4,
2010, he was part of a group that presented a $1 million check
to the Call of Duty Endowment, a nonprofit organization that
helps veterans transition to civilian careers after their
military service has ended; and
WHEREAS, Together with his wife, Kobe Bryant founded the
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, a charity dedicated
to improving the lives of youth and families in need; the
foundation supports programs that strengthen communities and
promote mutual understanding among people around the world; and
WHEREAS, In 2018, Kobe Bryant became the first African
American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
and the first former professional athlete to be nominated and
to win an Academy Award in any category for his film Dear
Basketball; on October 23, 2018, his book, The Mamba Mentality:

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How I Play, was published, and most recently, he was working on
a children's book aimed at inspiring underprivileged children;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we mourn the passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna,
and extend our sincere condolences to their family, friends,
and all who knew and loved them; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we declare January 25, 2020 as "Kobe Bryant
Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Kobe and Gianna Bryant as a symbol
of our deepest sympathy.