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91_HB1953enr HB1953 Enrolled LRB9105701MWgc 1 AN ACT to amend the State Commemorative Dates Act by 2 adding Section 110. 3 WHEREAS, Civic prayers and national days of prayer have a 4 long and venerable history in our constitutional republic, 5 dating back to the First Continental Congress in 1775; and 6 WHEREAS, The Declaration of Independence, our first 7 statement as Americans of national purpose and identity, made 8 "the Laws of Nature and Nature's God" the foundation of our 9 United States of America and asserted that people have 10 inalienable rights that are God-given; and 11 WHEREAS, President Truman proclaimed a National Day of 12 Prayer in 1952; and 13 WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has affirmed the 14 right of state legislatures to open their sessions with 15 prayer, and both houses of the Illinois General Assembly, as 16 well as the United States Supreme Court and the United States 17 Congress themselves, begin each day with prayer; and 18 WHEREAS, In 1988, legislation setting aside the first 19 Thursday in May of each year as a National Day of Prayer was 20 passed unanimously by both Houses of Congress and signed by 21 President Ronald Reagan; and 22 WHEREAS, The National Day of Prayer is an opportunity for 23 Americans of all faiths to join in united prayer to 24 acknowledge our dependence on God, to give thanks for 25 blessings received, to request healing for wounds endured, 26 and to ask God to guide our leaders and bring wholeness to 27 the United States and her citizens; and 28 WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper to give thanks to God 29 by observing a day of prayer in Illinois when all may 30 acknowledge our blessings and express gratitude for them, 31 while recognizing the need for strengthening religious and HB1953 Enrolled -2- LRB9105701MWgc 1 moral values in our State and nation; therefore 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The State Commemorative Dates Act is amended 5 by adding Section 110 as follows: 6 (5 ILCS 490/110 new) 7 Sec. 110. Day of Prayer in Illinois. The first Thursday 8 in May of each year is designated as a Day of Prayer in 9 Illinois, and the citizens of Illinois are urged to observe 10 the day in ways appropriate to its importance and 11 significance. 12 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 13 becoming law.