PRINTER'S NO. 3018
No. 544 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY SANTONI, SHAPIRO, ARGALL, BRENNAN, COHEN, DALEY, DENLINGER, DONATUCCI, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HENNESSEY, HORNAMAN, JAMES, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MELIO, MOUL, MUSTIO, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, PETRONE, READSHAW, SHIMKUS, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, SURRA, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS, WALKO, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, DECEMBER 13, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DECEMBER 13, 2007
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Establishing a task force to study issues concerning steroid use 2 by high school students throughout this Commonwealth and to 3 make recommendations to the General Assembly on how to 4 prevent such use. 5 WHEREAS, According to a study conducted by the United States 6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, steroid use among 7 teen athletes has more than doubled over the last decade, with 8 an especially alarming increase among teenage girls; and 9 WHEREAS, Research has shown that the use of steroids and 10 other performance-enhancing drugs has profoundly harmful effects 11 on the physical and mental health of teens; and 12 WHEREAS, The documented health risks of steroid use include, 13 among others, the increased chance of suffering a heart attack 14 or stroke, of developing liver and other cancers and of 15 triggering mood and hormonal imbalances; and 16 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth must take immediate steps to assess
1 and combat this problem before it becomes a public health 2 crisis; therefore be it 3 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly 4 establish a steroid use and prevention task force to gather 5 information, establish facts and develop recommendations 6 concerning steroid use and prevention among high school students 7 in this Commonwealth; and be it further 8 RESOLVED, That the task force be comprised of 17 members with 9 expertise in assessing and reducing teen steroid use by virtue 10 of their involvement in the fields of education, health, 11 athletics and law, including: 12 (1) Two persons appointed by the President pro tempore 13 of the Senate, including at least one member of the Senate. 14 (2) Two persons appointed by the Minority Leader of the 15 Senate, including at least one member of the Senate. 16 (3) Two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of 17 Representatives, including at least one member of the House 18 of Representatives. 19 (4) Two persons appointed by the Minority Leader of the 20 House of Representatives, including at least one member of 21 the House of Representatives. 22 (5) Two persons appointed by the Governor, one of whom 23 shall be a licensed Pennsylvania pediatrician. 24 (6) The Secretary of Education or his designee. 25 (7) The Secretary of Health or his designee. 26 (8) The chairman of the State Board of Education or his 27 designee. 28 (9) The president of the Pennsylvania School Boards 29 Association or his designee. 30 (10) The executive director of the Pennsylvania 20070H0544R3018 - 2 -
1 Interscholastic Athletic Association or his designee. 2 (11) A high school coach appointed by the president of 3 the Pennsylvania Coaches' Association. 4 (12) A school nurse who is a member of the Pennsylvania 5 State Education Association (PSEA) appointed by the president 6 of the PSEA; 7 and be it further 8 RESOLVED, That the chairman of the task force be selected by 9 majority vote of the members of the task force; and be it 10 further 11 RESOLVED, That the task force be responsible for: 12 (1) Holding public hearings to gather information on the 13 physical and psychological effects of steroid use on 14 teenagers. 15 (2) Determining the extent of the problem among high 16 school student-athletes in this Commonwealth. 17 (3) Developing a Statewide steroid education program to 18 be taught in the schools of this Commonwealth. 19 (4) Determining the most appropriate academic setting, 20 such as physical education or health class, in which to 21 implement said educational program. 22 (5) Examining the effects and prevalence of other 23 performance enhancers, such as nutritional supplements, and 24 determining whether to include information on them in the 25 proposed educational program. 26 (6) Crafting a comprehensive policy on steroid use and 27 prevention to be introduced throughout this Commonwealth's 28 schools. 29 (7) Holding a Summit on Steroid Use and Prevention for 30 high school athletic directors and other school 20070H0544R3018 - 3 -
1 administrators in this Commonwealth, to be convened in the 2 fall of 2008, to educate school personnel about the issue of 3 teen steroid use and about concrete steps they can take to 4 eliminate the problem in their individual schools; 5 and be it further 6 RESOLVED, That the members of the task force serve without 7 compensation, but be reimbursed for all necessary and reasonable 8 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties; and be it 9 further 10 RESOLVED, That the reasonable expenses incurred by the task 11 force be equally divided between the Senate and the House of 12 Representatives; and be it further 13 RESOLVED, That the task force be authorized to hold hearings, 14 take testimony and make its investigations at such places as it 15 deems necessary in this Commonwealth; and be it further 16 RESOLVED, That the task force prepare a report containing its 17 findings and recommendations, together with any necessary 18 legislation, and deliver it to the General Assembly by September 19 30, 2009. K13L82SFL/20070H0544R3018 - 4 -