Bill Text: IL SJR0004 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Designates U.S. Route 150 from Galesburg Main Street to the intersection of U.S. Route 150 and Illinois Route 17 in Alpha as the "Deputy Sheriff Nick Weist Memorial Highway".

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)

Status: (Engrossed) 2023-05-26 - Referred to Rules Committee [SJR0004 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SJR0004-Introduced.html

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General
Assembly pays honor and respect to those truly great
individuals who have served our State and, in doing so, have
made the ultimate sacrifice; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Donald "Nick" Weist of
the Knox County Sheriff's Office gave his life in the line of
duty in pursuit of an armed subject on April 29, 2022; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist was born to Kevin Weist and Robin
Monson in Platteville, Wisconsin on July 28, 1987; he earned
his degree in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration from
Western Illinois University in 2009; he married Jessica Weist
on January 11, 2012, and they had two children; he was a
resident of Viola; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist wanted to be a police officer from a
young age; following an internship with the Rock Island Police
Department, he worked as a security guard for Trinity Hospital
in the Quad Cities; in 2012, he was hired by the Mercer County
Sheriff's Department as a 911 dispatcher and then as a
correctional officer; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist was sworn into the Aledo Police

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Department on June 26, 2015; after graduating from the
Illinois Police Training Institute in September 2015, he began
his career on the road; he began working as a deputy sheriff
for the Knox County Sheriff's Office in 2018, where he served
until his passing; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist served as union president, a taser
instructor, and a leader in a number of different
organizations within the Knox County Sheriff's Office; he
organized the Explorer's Program for kids interested in law
enforcement at Aledo High School, headed up college recruiting
for the department, and raised funds and participated in Shop
with a Cop throughout his career; he also served as a volunteer
for the Viola Fire Department; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist loved anything outdoors; he
especially enjoyed mountain biking and fishing with his kids;
he also enjoyed deer hunting, cooking, and playing video
games; he was passionate about everything he did; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist's first priority was his family; he
was a devoted husband and father to Jessica and their
children, Ava, age 12, and Emery, age 9; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist was preceded in death by his
maternal grandmother, Peggy Mueller, and his paternal

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grandmother, Mary Lou Weist; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist is survived by his wife; his
children; his parents, Robin (Bill) Monson and Kevin Weist;
his sister, Lindsay Weist; his paternal grandfather, Donald
Weist, and maternal grandfathers, Donald Mueller and Jim
(Carol) Nicholas Jr.; his step-siblings, Jason (Cathleen)
Monson, Bill (Christina) Monson, Ryan (Annie) Monson, Renee
(Cory) Funk, and Megan Monson; his parents-in-law, Cheryl and
Lawrence Milder; his sisters-in-law, Kendra (Michael) Elledge
and Jennifer (Joe) Kindon; and his brother-in-law, Benjy
(Tiffany Bogardo) Milder; and
WHEREAS, Deputy Weist will be remembered for his
unrelenting dedication, his kindness, and his selflessness in
serving the people of Knox County and the State of Illinois;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate U.S.
Route 150 from Galesburg Main Street to the intersection of
U.S. Route 150 and Illinois Route 17 in Alpha as the "Deputy
Sheriff Nick Weist Memorial Highway"; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation

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is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
giving notice of the name of the "Deputy Sheriff Nick Weist
Memorial Highway"; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to the family of Deputy Weist and the Secretary of
the Illinois Department of Transportation.