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2001 SESSION

019826748
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 809
Offered January 19, 2001
Establishing a joint subcommittee to review all applicable federal and private efforts to protect children's health, safety, and welfare and to identify the areas where public and private efforts in Virginia could result in the greatest improvements to children's health, safety, and welfare.
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Patron-- Griffith
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, children in the Commonwealth face an array of preventable illnesses and injuries from hazards in their schools, homes and communities; and

WHEREAS, children may be at greater risk than adults from possible illnesses and injuries and may have a greater sensitivity to potential health hazards during the stages of development and growth as a result of their activities and physiology; and

WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Children's Health Protection, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, and numerous other federal agencies have studied and continued to review issues that affect children's health, safety and welfare; and

WHEREAS, numerous other governmental and private entities have also recently conducted studies of issues that affect children's health, safety and welfare; and

WHEREAS, recent studies have found that despite known and readily available solutions, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children ages one through nineteen; and

WHEREAS, these studies have found that homicide and suicide are the greatest new risks to children's health today; and

WHEREAS, these studies have identified other factors that have an impact on children's health, safety, and welfare, including inadequate housing, poor nutrition, limited access to adequate health care, environmental health hazards, automobile safety, violence, substance abuse, and other negative societal influences; and

WHEREAS, solutions to hazards that children face require the ongoing communication, collaboration and cooperation of affected communities and many disciplines including science, medicine, public health, economics, planning and law; and

WHEREAS, the greatest benefit to children's health, safety and welfare may be achieved through the proper allocation of resources based on risk so as to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts at the federal, state and local levels; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee by established to review all applicable federal and private efforts to protect children's health, safety and welfare and to identify the areas where public and private efforts in Virginia could result in the greatest improvements to children's health, safety and welfare. The joint subcommittee shall consist of 12 members as follows: five members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House in accordance with the principles of Rule 16 of the Rules of the House of Delegates; three pediatricians who practice in a rural area to be appointed by the Speaker; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; and one pediatrician who practices in a metropolitan area of the Commonwealth to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections.

The joint subcommittee shall (i) review the data generated by and findings of applicable federal, Virginia, and other studies, including, but not limited to, studies on prenatal care, immunizations, and Virginia mortality rates, and compare the national data to Virginia-specific data; (ii) determine the relative ranking of risk to children's health, safety, and welfare; (iii) review efforts at the federal level to reduce those risks; and (iv) examine the Commonwealth's programs to ensure that state resources are being allocated based upon the greatest risks to children's health, safety, and welfare.

The direct cost of this study shall not exceed $16,800.

The Division of Legislative Services shall provide staff support for the study. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and 2002 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.