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92_HR0954
LRB9216930LDcsC
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is currently suffering
3 from a serious budgetary shortfall; and
4 WHEREAS, Illinois is currently in litigation with 4 law
5 firms over a claim for $780,000,000 in attorney fees from
6 Illinois' share of the national tobacco settlement; and
7 WHEREAS, The litigation is being heard before Judge James
8 F. Henry; Judge Henry has now ordered Illinois Attorney
9 General Jim Ryan and the tobacco litigation lawyers to engage
10 in settlement before an independent mediator; and
11 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a duty to provide
12 humane and fundamental aid and treatment to its most
13 vulnerable citizens who carry on their backs the devastating
14 effects of the budgetary shortfall and who are the rightful
15 and needing recipients of the tobacco settlement dollars; and
16 WHEREAS, Judge Henry has stated that the case "cries out
17 to be settled" and that "the case is ripe for settlement";
18 therefore be it
19 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NINETY-
20 SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
21 urge Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan to negotiate a
22 settlement and use the offices of the mediator concerning the
23 attorney fee litigation as rapidly as possible so that
24 tobacco settlement moneys can be used for health and human
25 services programs; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
27 delivered to Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan and to the
28 Speaker and Minority Leader of the Illinois House of
29 Representatives and the President and Minority Leader of the
30 Illinois Senate.