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SJ0089 |
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LRB096 18348 AJO 33725 r |
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| SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the |
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| leading cause of intellectual disability in the United States |
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| and are 100% preventable; and
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| WHEREAS, The term FASD includes a broader range of |
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| conditions and therefore has replaced fetal alcohol syndrome as |
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| the umbrella term describing the range of effects that can |
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| occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol during |
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| pregnancy; and
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| WHEREAS, The prevalence of FASD is estimated to be at least |
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| 1% of all live births in the United States; and
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| WHEREAS, FASD is the leading known cause of learning |
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| disabilities and is a major cause of numerous social problems, |
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| including juvenile delinquency, homelessness, unemployment, |
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| mental illness, and crime; and
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| WHEREAS, Ten to 14% of women in Illinois report using |
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| alcohol during pregnancy; and
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage |
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| Act requires that with each marriage license a county clerk |
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| shall provide a pamphlet describing the causes and effects of |
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SJ0089 |
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LRB096 18348 AJO 33725 r |
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| fetal alcohol syndrome; and
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| WHEREAS, Unfortunately, this well-intended statutory |
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| requirement does not provide a means for a county clerk to meet |
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| the requirement; and
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| WHEREAS, It has been determined that in most counties the |
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| county clerks have not issued the required pamphlet to the |
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| nearly 80,000 recipients of marriage licenses each year, and |
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| thus tens of thousands of these marriage license recipients in |
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| Illinois have been deprived of this crucial public health |
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| information; and
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois affiliate of the National |
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| Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, NOFAS Illinois, which |
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| is administered by Trinity Services, Inc., has agreed to |
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| provide free educational pamphlets to each county clerk, thus |
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| making this well-intentioned statute a reality in all counties |
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| in Illinois; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL |
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| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| CONCURRING HEREIN, that within 60 days after this joint |
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| resolution is adopted, NOFAS Illinois and the County Clerks |
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| Association should determine the best ways to ensure that each |
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| couple receiving a marriage license will receive from the |