SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2246 PRINTER'S NO. 4488
No. 357 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY SHAPIRO AND BIRMELIN, JUNE 21, 2005
SENATOR WENGER, APPROPRIATIONS, IN SENATE, RE-REPORTED AS
AMENDED, JUNE 30, 2005
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Establishing the Katie Elise Lambert Commission on Child Safety <--
2 in this Commonwealth.
3 DIRECTING THE JOINT STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH A <--
4 TASK FORCE ON CHILD SAFETY.
5 WHEREAS, Sadly and suddenly, the life of three and a half-
6 year old Katie Elise Lambert of Abington, Pennsylvania, was
7 cruelly taken on January 21, 2005, when an unanchored wardrobe
8 cabinet fell on top of her; and
9 WHEREAS, Each year, the lives of many innocent children like
10 Katie Elise Lambert are tragically ended because of
11 unintentional injury-related deaths; and
12 WHEREAS, Unintentional injuries are a major public health
13 problem in the United States, causing an estimated 91,000 deaths
14 each year; and
15 WHEREAS, In 2001, the National Center for Health Statistics
16 placed unintentional injuries as the leading cause of death for
17 all individuals between the ages of 1 and 34; and
1 WHEREAS, Unintentional injuries are responsible for more
2 child deaths in one year than homicide, suicide, congenital
3 anomalies, cancer, heart disease, respiratory illness and HIV
4 combined; and
5 WHEREAS, The National SAFE KIDS Campaign reported that 5,526
6 children in the United States died from unintentional injuries
7 in 2001. Shockingly, 45% of these deaths occurred in the home;
8 and
9 WHEREAS, Unintentional injuries disproportionately affect
10 poor children and children under the age of four; and
11 WHEREAS, The leading cause of unintentional injury-related <--
12 death and disabilities, including motor vehicle crashes,
13 residential fires, alcohol-impaired driving and falls, with very
14 young children primarily at risk for injuries and death in the
15 home caused by suffocation, drowning, firearms, choking,
16 poisoning, fallen furniture and improperly secured major
17 appliances; and
18 WHEREAS, The American Association of Poison Control Centers
19 reports that accidental death from exposure to hazardous
20 household substances occurs mainly among children and youth; and
21 WHEREAS, The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates
22 that 8,000 to 10,000 people, predominantly children, are injured
23 each year as the result of tipping furniture, often occurring
24 when children climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on
25 items such as shelves, bookcases, dressers, bureaus, desks,
26 chests, television stands and television sets; and
27 WHEREAS, It is estimated that the incidence and severity of
28 unintentional injury-related death and disability can be reduced
29 through a combination of education, enactment and enforcement of
30 legislation and regulations and program evaluation; and
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1 WHEREAS, To reduce further tragedy and lessen unintentional
2 injury-related death and disability in this Commonwealth,
3 current laws must be strengthened, proven strategies that have
4 an impact on reducing unintentional injuries must be implemented
5 in all communities, and research on this topic must continue;
6 therefore be it AND <--
7 WHEREAS, IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT
8 THIS TASK FORCE BE REFERRED TO AS THE KATIE ELISE LAMBERT TASK
9 FORCE ON CHILD SAFETY; THEREFORE BE IT
10 RESOLVED, (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly <--
11 establish the Katie Elise Lambert Commission on Child Safety;
12 and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the commission consist of 18 members who shall
14 be residents of this Commonwealth; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, (THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING), THAT THE <--
16 GENERAL ASSEMBLY DIRECT THE JOINT STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION TO
17 ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE OF FOUR MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND FOUR
18 MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; AND BE IT FURTHER
19 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
20 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, President pro
21 tempore of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate
22 shall each appoint four TWO members to the commission; and be it <--
23 further
24 RESOLVED, That of the members to the commission appointed by <--
25 the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one shall be the
26 Chairman of the Children and Youth Committee of the House of
27 Representatives or the chairman's designee; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That of the members to the commission appointed by
29 the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, one shall
30 be the Minority Chairman of the Children and Youth Committee of
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1 the House of Representatives or the chairman's designee; and be
2 it further
3 RESOLVED, That of the members to the commission appointed by
4 the President pro tempore of the Senate, one shall be the
5 Chairman of the Aging and Youth Committee of the Senate or the
6 chairman's designee; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That of the members to the commission appointed by
8 the Minority Leader of the Senate, one shall be the Minority
9 Chairman of the Aging and Youth Committee of the Senate or the
10 chairman's designee; and be it further
11 RESOLVED, That the members of the commission appointed by the
12 Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the
13 House of Representatives, President pro tempore of the Senate
14 and the Minority Leader of the Senate shall include, if
15 possible,
16 RESOLVED, THAT THE TASK FORCE BE AUTHORIZED TO CREATE AN <--
17 ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ASSIST THE TASK FORCE, TO INCLUDE a parent
18 or representative of a child severely injured or deceased due to
19 an unintentional injury-related death or disability; a board-
20 certified pediatrician acquainted in matters regarding
21 unintentional injury; a member of a county child death review
22 team; a child safety advocate whose work promotes the prevention
23 of childhood injury; and a product and safety expert in the
24 manufacturing industry; and be it further
25 RESOLVED, That the Governor shall appoint two members to the <--
26 commission who have an interest in child safety and one of the
27 members shall be the Secretary of Health or the Secretary's
28 designee; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the members of the commission be appointed
30 within 15 days of the date of the adoption of this resolution;
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1 and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
3 call the initial meeting of the commission within ten days of
4 the appointment of the members, at which meeting the members of
5 RESOLVED, THAT THE MEMBERS OF the commission shall elect from <--
6 their membership a chairman; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That the commission may hold hearings, take
8 testimony and make its investigations at such places as it deems
9 necessary within this Commonwealth and that each member of the
10 commission shall have the power to administer oaths and
11 affirmations to witnesses appearing before the commission; and
12 be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the members of the commission shall receive no
14 compensation for their services but shall be allowed their
15 actual and necessary expenses incurred in their capacity with
16 the commission; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That the commission be provided staff support by <--
18 the Joint State Government Commission; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the commission prepare and submit to the House
20 of Representatives, the Senate and the Governor a report of its
21 findings no later than November 30, 2006 MARCH 31, 2007; and be <--
22 it further
23 RESOLVED, That the purpose of the final report shall be to
24 review existing Pennsylvania laws and regulations to determine
25 their impact on preventing unintentional injuries and recommend
26 reforms and policy proposals to strengthen existing laws and
27 regulations to reduce preventable deaths; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That the final report shall contain findings and
29 recommendations to achieve this goal, including, but not limited
30 to, the following subjects:
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1 (1) Statistics outlining the primary causes of
2 unintentional injury-related deaths and disabilities to
3 children.
4 (2) Individual behaviors and practices that can reduce
5 the risk of childhood injuries and make others aware of
6 possible injury hazards in the home.
7 (3) Recommendations to raise the awareness to parents
8 and other concerned citizens of the looming threat of
9 unintentional injuries to their children.
10 (4) Suggestions pediatricians and other health care
11 providers can provide to patients during routine health
12 visits regarding safety practices in their homes to prevent
13 unintentional injuries.
14 (5) Information on the cost-effectiveness of strategies
15 to reduce injuries to children to better inform public debate
16 on the merits of these interventions.
17 (6) Feasibility of laws making it mandatory that warning
18 labels be applied to all assembled and ready-to-assemble
19 furniture.
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