Bill Text: IL HR0982 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Honors and thanks State Representative Kelly Burke for her years of dedicated service. Wishes her the best in her future endeavors.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5)

Status: (Passed) 2025-01-07 - Resolution Adopted [HR0982 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HR0982-Introduced.html

---

HR0982 LRB103 43705 LAW 77065 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to honor our colleague, State
Representative Kelly Burke, on her 14 years of esteemed
service as a member of the Illinois General Assembly and thank
her for her dedication to the State and her community; and
WHEREAS, Since being elected in 2010, Rep. Burke has shown
her abiding commitment to the 36th House District, consisting
of the 19th and 18th Wards as well as Evergreen Park and Oak
Lawn; she and her husband, Terry, have three children and live
in Evergreen Park, where she has resided for nearly 30 years;
and
WHEREAS, Prior to running for office, Rep. Burke received
her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign and her Juris Doctor from the John Marshall
Law School before becoming an attorney at an Evergreen
Park-based firm; further, she worked on the staff of Saint
Xavier University for six years; she also spent two terms on
the Evergreen Park Library Board, serving as president, and
she continues to be involved with the library through its
foundation; and
WHEREAS, Rep. Burke has volunteered in Evergreen Park for

HR0982 - 2 - LRB103 43705 LAW 77065 r
many years, notably with Most Holy Redeemer Parish, where she
was a board member of the Women's Guild, founded a Mock Trial
program for grade school students, coached youth sports, and
helped prepare meals for the Su Casa shelter; she is an
advisory board member of the Women's Bar Foundation and
volunteers with the Restorative Justice program at Leo High
School; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, Rep. Burke was selected to participate
in the inaugural class of the Edgar Fellows program at the
University of Illinois, an initiative of former Gov. Jim Edgar
to promote responsible, responsive, bi-partisan leadership
throughout Illinois; she also serves as an adjunct professor
at Loyola University Chicago School of Law; and
WHEREAS, Rep. Burke successfully ran for election as a
trustee of the Village of Evergreen Park in 2019, and she later
became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Evergreen Park, a
position she still currently holds; and
WHEREAS, Throughout her time in the State legislature,
Rep. Burke was a passionate advocate for issues most important
to her district and the State, working closely on State
budgets, education funding, pensions, public safety, and much
more; and

HR0982 - 3 - LRB103 43705 LAW 77065 r
WHEREAS, Rep. Burke, a fierce advocate for individuals
with disabilities, championed a piece of legislation that
created the ABLE 529-style savings accounts for people with
disabilities, making it easier for these individuals to gain
access to a critical program that allows them to save for their
future; and
WHEREAS, Rep. Burke additionally supported the creation of
AIM HIGH, a scholarship program hailed as a game changer for
students and families working to afford a college education,
making it a reality for tens of thousands of modest-income
students; and
WHEREAS, As one of the founding members of the House
Democratic Women's Caucus, Rep. Burke has been dedicated to
crafting policy to promote the interests of women statewide,
and her work has strengthened the voice of women working in the
Capitol, including legislators, advocates, and staffers, and
created stronger policies against harassment and intimidation;
and
WHEREAS, Rep. Burke chaired the Ethics and Elections
Committee, where she passed a comprehensive ethics package to
eradicate corruption and increase transparency in State
government; during her time as chair, she also worked to
expand voting by mail and safe voter participation during the

HR0982 - 4 - LRB103 43705 LAW 77065 r
COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, In 2023, Rep. Burke was appointed by Speaker
Emanuel "Chris" Welch to serve as an assistant majority
leader, where she continued to prioritize values that were
most important to her, including collaboration, inclusivity,
and assisting her colleagues in delivering results for their
communities; further, she was named chair of the Revenue
Committee, where she maintained the committee's focus on
fiscal responsibility and smart budgeting; and
WHEREAS, Rep. Burke has spent much time locally, meeting
with constituents, holding town hall meetings, and sponsoring
local events such as basketball tournaments and the popular
summer activity Yoga in the Park at 50-Acre Park; and
WHEREAS, Rep. Burke has been appreciated by all who have
had the opportunity to serve alongside her for her quick wit,
her warm friendship, her ability to work across the aisle, and
her commitment to bringing people together for the betterment
of our State; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we honor and thank State Representative Kelly Burke for her
years of dedicated service, and we wish her the best in her

HR0982 - 5 - LRB103 43705 LAW 77065 r
future endeavors; and be it further