|
|
|
|
HJ0099 |
|
LRB096 18349 AJO 33726 r |
|
|
| 1 |
| HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
|
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the |
| 3 |
| leading cause of intellectual disability in the United States |
| 4 |
| and are 100% preventable; and
|
| 5 |
| WHEREAS, The term FASD includes a broader range of |
| 6 |
| conditions and therefore has replaced fetal alcohol syndrome as |
| 7 |
| the umbrella term describing the range of effects that can |
| 8 |
| occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol during |
| 9 |
| pregnancy; and
|
| 10 |
| WHEREAS, The prevalence of FASD is estimated to be at least |
| 11 |
| 1% of all live births in the United States; and
|
| 12 |
| WHEREAS, FASD is the leading known cause of learning |
| 13 |
| disabilities and is a major cause of numerous social problems, |
| 14 |
| including juvenile delinquency, homelessness, unemployment, |
| 15 |
| mental illness, and crime; and
|
| 16 |
| WHEREAS, Ten to 14% of women in Illinois report using |
| 17 |
| alcohol during pregnancy; and
|
| 18 |
| WHEREAS, The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage |
| 19 |
| Act requires that with each marriage license a county clerk |
| 20 |
| shall provide a pamphlet describing the causes and effects of |
|
|
|
HJ0099 |
- 2 - |
LRB096 18349 AJO 33726 r |
|
|
| 1 |
| fetal alcohol syndrome; and
|
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, Unfortunately, this well-intended statutory |
| 3 |
| requirement does not provide a means for a county clerk to meet |
| 4 |
| the requirement; and
|
| 5 |
| WHEREAS, It has been determined that in most counties the |
| 6 |
| county clerks have not issued the required pamphlet to the |
| 7 |
| nearly 80,000 recipients of marriage licenses each year, and |
| 8 |
| thus tens of thousands of these marriage license recipients in |
| 9 |
| Illinois have been deprived of this crucial public health |
| 10 |
| information; and
|
| 11 |
| WHEREAS, The Illinois affiliate of the National |
| 12 |
| Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, NOFAS Illinois, which |
| 13 |
| is administered by Trinity Services, Inc., has agreed to |
| 14 |
| provide free educational pamphlets to each county clerk, thus |
| 15 |
| making this well-intentioned statute a reality in all counties |
| 16 |
| in Illinois; therefore, be it
|
| 17 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
| 18 |
| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE |
| 19 |
| SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that within 60 days after this joint |
| 20 |
| resolution is adopted, NOFAS Illinois and the County Clerks |
| 21 |
| Association should determine the best ways to ensure that each |
| 22 |
| couple receiving a marriage license will receive from the |