HJ0099 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0099 LRB096 18349 AJO 33726 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the leading cause of intellectual disability in the United States and are 100% preventable; and

WHEREAS, The term FASD includes a broader range of conditions and therefore has replaced fetal alcohol syndrome as the umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, The prevalence of FASD is estimated to be at least 1% of all live births in the United States; and

WHEREAS, FASD is the leading known cause of learning disabilities and is a major cause of numerous social problems, including juvenile delinquency, homelessness, unemployment, mental illness, and crime; and

WHEREAS, Ten to 14% of women in Illinois report using alcohol during pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act requires that with each marriage license a county clerk shall provide a pamphlet describing the causes and effects of fetal alcohol syndrome; and

WHEREAS, Unfortunately, this well-intended statutory requirement does not provide a means for a county clerk to meet the requirement; and

WHEREAS, It has been determined that in most counties the county clerks have not issued the required pamphlet to the nearly 80,000 recipients of marriage licenses each year, and thus tens of thousands of these marriage license recipients in Illinois have been deprived of this crucial public health information; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois affiliate of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, NOFAS Illinois, which is administered by Trinity Services, Inc., has agreed to provide free educational pamphlets to each county clerk, thus making this well-intentioned statute a reality in all counties in Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that within 60 days after this joint resolution is adopted, NOFAS Illinois and the County Clerks Association should determine the best ways to ensure that each couple receiving a marriage license will receive from the county clerk an educational pamphlet about fetal alcohol syndrome; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the County Clerks Association.