Illinois legislation · 104th General Assembly
Illinois SJR34: POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY
Status: Passed both chambers, May 30, 2026
Encourages the citizens of Illinois to recognize and honor those who have made extraordinary sacrifices in the service of our State and country on POW/MIA Recognition Day this year on September 19, 2025.
What the bill says
From the introduced text, April 30, 2025:
SJ0034LRB104 13383 MST 25712 r SJ0034 LRB104 13383 MST 25712 r SJ0034 LRB104 13383 MST 25712 r SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION WHEREAS, The United States of America owes a profound debt of gratitude to the members of the Armed Forces who have been prisoners of war (POWs) and to those who remain missing in action (MIA), having made extraordinary sacrifices in the service of their country; and WHEREAS, The families and loved ones of POWs and MIAs have endured immeasurable hardship and uncertainty, demonstrating courage, resilience, and unwavering hope; and WHEREAS, POW/MIA Recognition Day honors the commitment and sacrifices made by these brave individuals and reaffirms our nation's pledge to account for every service member who has not yet returned home; and WHEREAS, Recognizing POW/MIA Recognition Day provides an important opportunity to educate the public, promote remembrance, and express collective support for efforts to locate and repatriate all missing service members; and WHEREAS, The third Friday of September is traditionally observed nationwide as a day to honor POWs and MIAs, and formal recognition by this legislative body further reinforces its importance; and SJ0034- 2 -LRB104 13383 MST 25712 r SJ0034 - 2 - LRB104 13383 MST 25712 r SJ0034 - 2 - LRB104 13383 MST 25712 r WHEREAS, In 1998, Public Act 90-0752 established the permanent yearly observance of POW/MIA Recognition …
Sponsors
- Cristina Castro (D, 22) · primary sponsor
- Stephanie A. Kifowit (D, 84)
- Maura Hirschauer (D, 49)
- Mary Gill (D, 35)
- Michelle Mussman (D, 56)
- Amy Briel (D, 76)
- Lindsey LaPointe (D, 19)
- David Friess (R, 115)
- Dave Severin (R, 116)
- Wayne A. Rosenthal (R, 108)
- Dan Swanson (R, 71)
- Charles Meier (R, 109)
Latest actions
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Tony M. McCombie
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael J. Coffey, Jr.
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Norine K. Hammond
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicole La Ha
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Brad Stephens
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jackie Haas
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Amy Elik
- : Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Regan Deering
Votes
- Recommends Be Adopted Veterans' Affairs Committee (May 5, 2026): 12 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Be Adopted Veterans Affairs (May 21, 2025): 6 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is SJR34?
- SJR34 is a bill in the Illinois Legislature (104th General Assembly): POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY.
- What does SJR34 do?
- Encourages the citizens of Illinois to recognize and honor those who have made extraordinary sacrifices in the service of our State and country on POW/MIA Recognition Day this year on September 19, 2025.
- What is the status of SJR34?
- Passed both chambers as of May 30, 2026. Latest action: Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin (May 30, 2026).
- Who sponsored SJR34?
- Cristina Castro (D, 22), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SJR34?
- On the Illinois Legislature website: https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?DocNum=34&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SJR&SessionID=114
Source: official Illinois record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.