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1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3		Representatives are pleased to honor our esteemed colleague,
4		State Representative Maria Antonia "Toni" Berrios, on her 12
5		years as a member of the Illinois General Assembly and to thank
6		her for her dedicated service to her State and her community;
7		and
8		WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios was born and raised on the northwest
9		side of Chicago; she attended Notre Dame High School for Girls
10		and Northeastern Illinois University; and
11		WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios was first elected to the Illinois
12		House of Representatives in 2002, becoming the first Puerto
13		Rican-American woman elected to serve in the Illinois House of
14		Representatives; and
15		WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios has been a strong advocate for some
16		of the most vital issues facing Illinois families, including
17		working to raise the minimum wage, ensuring equal pay for
18		women, and securing marriage equality; and
19		WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios is an active member of her community;
20		she holds an annual Back to School Fair to help provide needed
21		resources for area families, an event that has offered

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1		less-fortunate families the opportunity to receive school
2		supplies, immunizations, and other services; and
3		WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios was the first woman elected as
4		Co-chair of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, serving as
5		a staunch advocate on Latino issues; she fought to provide more
6		scholarship opportunities for Latino children to attend
7		college; and
8		WHEREAS, Rep. Berrios has championed the cause of consumer
9		protection; she served as Chair of the Financial Institutions
10		Committee and worked hard to provide stronger safeguards for
11		residents against fraud; she promoted programs to help
12		struggling homeowners and renters, and she consistently helped
13		make the voices of the less-fortunate heard; and
14		WHEREAS, All who have served with Rep. Berrios will miss
15		her warm smile and diligence on behalf of her district's
16		residents and to the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
17		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18		NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19		we congratulate and thank State Representative Maria Antonia
20		"Toni" Berrios for her years of dedicated service; and be it
21		further

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1		RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2		presented to Rep. Berrios as an expression of our respect,
3		esteem, and best wishes.