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SR 504

MEMORIAL-RILEY L. OWENS

104th Regular Session Introduced by Christopher Belt

The resolution mourns Riley L. Owens III’s death and expresses the Illinois Senate’s condolences while recognizing his extensive public service and presenting a copy to his family.

Resolution Adopted
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Bill Summary · SR 504

Summary — SR 504: Memorial for Riley L. Owens III

Purpose

SR 504 is a ceremonial Senate resolution that mourns the death of Riley L. Owens III, the former Mayor of Centreville, and expresses the Illinois Senate’s sympathy to his family, friends, and community. The resolution also directs that a suitable copy be presented to his family.

Key provisions / text highlights

  • States that Riley L. Owens III passed away on September 30, 2025.
  • Summarizes Owens’s biography and public service:
    • Bachelor's degree in urban planning from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
    • Lifelong member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
    • Veteran of the United States Air Force.
    • Five-term mayor of Centreville; founding member of the National Conference of Black Mayors.
    • Chaired the East St. Louis Area Development Gateway Coordinating Council.
    • Served on the board of the Katherine Dunham Center for Arts and Humanities and on the 50th Anniversary Commission for Brown v. Board of Education.
    • Presidential appointments to the Selective Service local board (1999) and district appeal board (2014).
    • Noted for meeting Presidents Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, and George W. Bush.
    • Community detail: resident of the Two Lane Terrace neighborhood; active, visible in the community (biking, visiting family).
    • Personal interests: crafted artwork celebrating African American heritage (masks, flutes, etc.).
  • Formal resolves:
    • The Senate mourns his passing and extends condolences.
    • A copy of the resolution is to be presented to his family as an expression of sympathy.

Who is affected

  • Primary: the family, friends, and community of Riley L. Owens III (Centreville and the surrounding region).
  • Secondary: the Illinois Senate’s record and public historical record acknowledging Owens’s public service.
  • No legal, regulatory, or fiscal effects — this is a non-binding, ceremonial resolution.

Procedural status / timeline

  • Introduced: May 5, 2025 (per bill header).
  • Legislative entries list multiple adoption/filing dates: March 31, 2025 (Senate read & adopted), May 7, 2025 (read & adopted; vote recorded; reported enrolled), and later filings on October 30–31, 2025 (filed with Secretary; “Resolution Adopted as Amended” on Oct 31, 2025).
  • The legislative record supplied contains inconsistent dates and duplicated entries; therefore the most reliable conclusions are that the resolution was adopted by the Senate and a copy was ordered for presentation to the family.

Notes and data issues

  • The version content supplied includes text from an unrelated resolution honoring William Edwards (presidential fellow at the University of North Georgia) — indicating two different resolutions may have been merged in the provided materials.
  • The listed sponsors include numerous members whose names correspond to Georgia legislators, not Illinois — suggesting clerical cross‑referencing or mixed-source data. These inconsistencies do not change the substance of the Riley Owens memorial resolution but should be verified against the official Senate journal or Secretary of the Senate records for authoritative sponsorship and final adoption details.

Impact

  • Purely commemorative: recognizes Owens’s lifetime of public service and preserves a formal legislative expression of condolence. There is no budgetary, regulatory, or policy impact.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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