Bill Text: IL SR0049 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Honors Senator J. Bradley Burzynski for his dedicated service to the people of Illinois.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2011-02-10 - Resolution Adopted [SR0049 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-SR0049-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, State Senator J. Bradley Burzynski has
represented the citizens of the State of Illinois and the
families of the 35th Legislative District since 1993; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has also represented the
citizens of the State of Illinois by serving in the Illinois
House of Representatives for the 76th House District from 1990
to 1993; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski served the residents of Boone,
DeKalb, LaSalle, Ogle, and Winnebago Counties by bringing to
the General Assembly their concerns for fiscal responsibility,
conservation of wildlife, public safety, renewable energy,
agriculture, and growing business in the State; and
WHEREAS, During Senator Burzynski's two decades of service
in the Illinois General Assembly, he has served as a powerful
voice for the State's education system, from primary school to
higher education; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has recently served as the
Republican Spokesperson on the Higher Education Committee and
served on the Education Committee; and

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WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski sponsored legislation to allow
students to receive their bachelor's degrees by completing
their education at a community college, making it possible for
more Illinoisans to achieve their higher education goals; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski continued to work to improve the
Illinois education system at all levels as a governor-appointed
member of the P-20 Council, where he sought to find ways to
provide students of all ages a robust and comprehensive
education; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski created the Alternative
Opportunities Learning Program in the Illinois School Code to
provide an educational program that provides at-risk students
an increased ability to succeed in their studies; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski worked to allow students to
voluntarily practice and engage in student-initiated prayer
and religious exercises in public schools; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski sponsored legislation to
modernize the State's schools by allowing school districts to
utilize electronic filing in reports to the Illinois State
Board of Education and receive funds through electronic
transfers; and

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WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski helped in co-sponsoring
legislation to give the State's public universities their own
governing systems, and he sponsored legislation to allow public
universities to keep the tuition they collected directly; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has been a constant advocate for
increasing public safety in schools; acting as a lead sponsor
on legislation to curb the practice of bullying in schools, to
provide greater gang resistance education, and to allow a
teacher's institute to include training in First Aid; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has represented Illinois while
serving as a Commissioner with the Midwest Higher Education
Compact since 1993, where he worked to help find ways to reduce
costs, improve student access, and discover new policies in
higher education; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski sponsored the Advanced Practice
Nursing Act, which helped underserved areas of the State to
receive additional medical and health care resources; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski acted as a voice for fiscal
responsibility by sponsoring legislation to require the
Governor's Office of Management and Budget to outline the
long-term economic and fiscal policy objectives of the State
and the State's financial condition and to make that

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information available to the public; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has supported the use of
renewable energy in Illinois through his successful
sponsorship of the Promote Illinois Ethanol and Biodiesel Act
to increase public awareness and provide information about E-85
and biodiesel fuels; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has been a consistent advocate
of outdoor sports and conservation in Illinois and has worked
to expand the number of apprentice hunters in Illinois so
future generations can experience the richness of the State's
wildlife; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski served on the Illinois
Leadership Council on Agricultural Education where he worked to
expand agricultural programs at all education levels; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has served on the Joint
Committee on Administrative Rules since 1995, where he is the
longest-serving member of that bi-partisan committee; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has also served on the Insurance
Committee, the Local Government Committee, and the Executive
Committee, and in the past he has chaired the Executive
Committee and the Licensed Activities Committee; and

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WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has served as the Assistant
Senate Republican Leader since January 2007, and he previously
served as the Senate Republican Caucus Chairman from 2003 to
2007; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski served as the DeKalb County
Republican Chairman from 1993 to 1994; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski holds a Bachelor of Arts degree
from Illinois Wesleyan University and an Associate degree from
Rend Lake Community College; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski taught band and choir to
students from 5th to 8th grade at Pinckneyville Middle School
for two years; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski worked as the Farm Bureau
Manager of Clark and Clinton counties; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski served as the Governmental
Affairs Director of the DeKalb County Farm Bureau for 11 years;
and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has been recognized for his work
in the General Assembly by more than 70 statewide and local

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organizations throughout his career of public service; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has been recognized by the
Illinois Chamber of Commerce for his continued commitment to
support the growth of businesses throughout the State and was
awarded the honor of "Champion of Free Enterprise" by the
Chamber for his distinguished voting record; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has been recognized by the
Illinois Civil Justice League for his dedication to reforming
the State's civil justice system and was awarded the honor of
"Friend of Fairness" by the League for his distinguished voting
record; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski has been named "Legislator of
the Year" by multiple organizations throughout the State for
his work in the General Assembly, including the Illinois
Nurses' Association, the Illinois Manufactured Homes
Association, the Illinois Optometry Association, the Illinois
Academy of Physicians Assistants, and the Illinois Public
Transportation Association; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski is a member of the Maywood
Evangelical Free Church; and
WHEREAS, Senator Burzynski and his wife, Judy, will spend

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time with their son, Benjamin, daughter-in-law, Abbie, and
their children, Ethan, Hannah and Zoe; and with his daughter,
Beth, son-in-law, Kristian, and their children, Kylie and
Bailey; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Senator
Burzynski for his dedicated service to the people of Illinois
and honor him with this resolution; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to Senator Burzynski with our best wishes for his
future endeavors.