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90_HJ0069
LRB9012273DJdv
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Substance abuse is our number one public health
3 threat and is a leading cause of serious social problems; and
4 WHEREAS, A study by the Columbia University Center for
5 Addiction and Substance Abuse found that 80% of prison
6 inmates were involved with drugs when they were arrested; and
7 WHEREAS, Underage drinking is the number one problem
8 among Illinois youth, and alcohol is a leading cause of
9 injury and death among youth involved in motor vehicle
10 crashes, homicides, and suicides; and
11 WHEREAS, Juvenile crime, violence, poor academic
12 performance, and school dropout are closely linked to alcohol
13 and other drug use; and
14 WHEREAS, Prevention of illegal drug use and underage
15 drinking is the responsibility of the entire community,
16 including parents, schools, business, government, and law
17 enforcement; and
18 WHEREAS, Government, in cooperation with private sector
19 leaders, must take a leading role in addressing this most
20 serious of problems; therefore, be it
21 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
23 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois General Assembly
24 shall establish a special "Red Ribbon" Committee to do the
25 following:
26 (1) Convene public hearings to accept written and verbal
27 testimony on:
28 (A) The use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by
29 underage youth;
30 (B) Addiction and other ATOD (alcohol, tobacco and
31 other drug) problems;
-2- LRB9012273DJdv
1 (C) The pro-legalization movement and its
2 undermining of substance abuse prevention;
3 (D) The cost of drug use to the State; and
4 (E) The need for comprehensive community-based
5 prevention.
6 (2) Report the findings of the hearings to the General
7 Assembly annually, on or before March 8 of 1999 and each year
8 thereafter.
9 (3) Initiate legislation to advance State leadership in
10 comprehensive community-based prevention.
11 (4) Encourage State legislators to play active roles in
12 engaging their constituents in prevention; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the Committee shall consist of 12 members,
14 appointed 3 each by the Speaker of the House of
15 Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of
16 Representatives,the President of the Senate, and the Minority
17 Leader of the Senate; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That all members of the Committee shall be
19 appointed within 3 months after this Resolution is adopted;
20 and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That the Committee shall be chaired by 2
22 co-chairpersons, selected one each by each political party
23 represented on the Committee; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this Resolution shall
25 be presented to each of the following: the Speaker of the
26 House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of
27 Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Minority
28 Leader of the Senate, and the Illinois Drug Education
29 Alliance (IDEA).