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HR0186 |
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LRB094 11195 CSA 42745 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, Backpacks of elementary and secondary school
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| pupils often contain textbooks, binders, calculators,
personal |
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| computers, lunches, a change of clothing, sports
equipment, and |
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| more; and
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| WHEREAS, Elementary and secondary school pupils are
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| carrying backpacks weighing as much as 40 pounds; and
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| WHEREAS, Chiropractors, physical therapists, and
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| pediatricians are seeing an increased number of children
for |
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| spinal column injuries, nontraumatic back pain, and
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| significant postural changes from overloaded backpacks; and
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| WHEREAS, Chiropractors and pediatricians recommend that
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| backpacks not exceed more than fifteen percent of a pupil's |
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| body
weight; and
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| WHEREAS, In 1999, more than 3,400 pupils between five and |
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| 14
years of age, inclusive, sought treatment in hospital
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| emergency rooms for injuries related to backpacks or book
bags |
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| according to the United States Consumer Product Safety
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| Commission; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
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| NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that |
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| we request the Illinois State Board of Education to conduct a |
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| study of the issues involved concerning the weight of backpacks |
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| carried by elementary and secondary school
pupils and consider |
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| adopting maximum weight standards for textbooks; the weight |
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| standards shall take into consideration the health risks to |
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| pupils who transport textbooks to and from school each day; if |
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| the study indicates that maximum textbook weight standards |
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| would be beneficial, the Board shall adopt such standards by |
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| July 1, 2006; and be it further
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