HJ0006 LRB096 04490 DRJ 14542 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Physical activity advances the social and
3 physical development of children; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Children are expected to engage in moderate to
5 vigorous physical activity at least 60 minutes a day; and
 
6     WHEREAS, More than 14% of school-age children in Illinois
7 are overweight; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Obesity rates vary widely based on environmental
9 conditions and location; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Environment and policy changes can increase
11 physical activity and decrease obesity rates; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Obesity and lack of physical activity are risk
13 factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and
14 certain cancers; and
 
15     WHEREAS, In 1969, the number of children in the U.S. who
16 walked or biked to school was 42% and in 2001, the number of
17 children who walked or biked to school was 16%; and
 
18     WHEREAS, In FY 1999, 113,271 elementary students were

 

 

HJ0006 - 2 - LRB096 04490 DRJ 14542 r

1 transported less than 1.5 miles to/from home to school; and
 
2     WHEREAS, In FY 2009, 159,591 elementary students were
3 transported less than 1.5 miles to/from home to school; and
 
4     WHEREAS, That translates to a 41% increase in the number of
5 students transported less than 1.5 miles to/from home to school
6 in one decade; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The number of students transported at least 1.5
8 miles to/from home to school increased only 8% in the same time
9 period; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The average cost to transport a single child to
11 and from school for one school year is more than $440; and
 
12     WHEREAS, More than 1.1 million elementary and high school
13 students are transported each day by bus to and from public
14 schools in Illinois; and
 
15     WHEREAS, More than $850 million is spent annually on school
16 transportation programs in Illinois; and
 
17     WHEREAS, School transportation costs have increased more
18 than 300 percent in the last 15 years; therefore, be it
 

 

 

HJ0006 - 3 - LRB096 04490 DRJ 14542 r

1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
3 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the School
4 Transportation Task Force, to be appointed as follows:
5         (1) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
6     Representatives; and
7         (2) 2 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
8     House of Representatives; and
9         (3) 2 members appointed by the President of the Senate;
10     and
11         (4) 2 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
12     Senate; and
13         (5) One member appointed by the State Superintendent of
14     Education; and
15         (6) One member appointed by the Secretary of the
16     Department of Transportation; and
17         (7) Two members representing non-profit community
18     based transportation organizations appointed by the
19     Governor; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That all appointments shall be made no later than
21 45 days following adoption of this resolution; and be it
22 further
 
23     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall study the possibility
24 of enacting legislation making changes to current

 

 

HJ0006 - 4 - LRB096 04490 DRJ 14542 r

1 transportation programs offered by the Illinois State Board of
2 Education; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall choose its chair and
4 other officers and meet at the call of the chair; and be it
5 further
 
6     RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall serve
7 without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their
8 reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for
9 that purpose; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That the Illinois State Board of Education shall
11 provide administrative and financial support to the Task Force;
12 and be it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report its findings and
14 recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on or
15 before December 31, 2010; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to
17 the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of
18 the Senate, the Minority Leader of the House of
19 Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the
20 Governor, the Secretary of the Department of Transportation,
21 and the State Superintendent of Education.