PRINTER'S NO. 2579
No. 206 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY PITTS, IRVIS, HAYES, COHEN, NOYE, BELFANTI, ITKIN,
CESSAR, E. Z. TAYLOR, FISCHER, DORR, BARBER, CARN, DONATUCCI
AND PUNT, NOVEMBER 26, 1985
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
A RESOLUTION
1 Convening a House conference on illiteracy; creating a select
2 committee on illiteracy; and directing the committee to
3 organize the conference, to study the problem of illiteracy
4 in this Commonwealth, and to make a report to the House of
5 Representatives.
6 WHEREAS, Thirty percent of the adult population of this
7 Commonwealth is reported to be functionally illiterate, having
8 reading and writing skills below the third-grade level; and
9 WHEREAS, Statistical evidence clearly indicates that
10 illiterate, uneducated individuals are less likely to
11 participate in the work force and, if they do participate, are
12 more likely to become unemployed; and
13 WHEREAS, Because of their illiteracy, 41% of our adult
14 population cannot select jobs from classified advertisements,
15 37% cannot determine earnings for working overtime, 30% cannot
16 calculate the correct change due from a $20 bill, and 23% cannot
17 interpret an equal opportunity notice; and
18 WHEREAS, A modern technologically-based society is dependent
19 on an educated work force; and, therefore, the economic growth
1 and development and standard of living of this Commonwealth are
2 dependent upon the ability of its citizens to read and write
3 and, thereby, to apply and utilize increasingly sophisticated
4 technology; and
5 WHEREAS, The occupational health and safety of the workers of
6 this Commonwealth is dependent upon their ability to comprehend,
7 through the written word, the presence of workplace hazards and
8 to understand how to protect themselves against these hazards;
9 and
10 WHEREAS, The problem of illiteracy in this Commonwealth has
11 reached epidemic proportions adversely affecting the quality of
12 life of the citizens of this Commonwealth and the economic and
13 social development of this Commonwealth; and
14 WHEREAS, The scope and seriousness of the problem of
15 illiteracy are inadequately understood and, therefore,
16 insufficiently addressed; therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives convene a House
18 Bipartisan Conference on Illiteracy in order to gather together
19 people knowledgeable about the problem of illiteracy and the
20 means of remedying this epidemic problem; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
22 appoint a Select Committee on Illiteracy to organize the
23 conference; to gather and document information on illiteracy and
24 proposed corrective measures; to report its findings and
25 recommendations to the House of Representatives; and to draft
26 and introduce legislation, if appropriate, mandating a literacy
27 program for this Commonwealth and making an appropriation to
28 adequately fund the program; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
30 appoint eight members of the committee as follows: two members
19850H0206R2579 - 2 -
1 of the Labor Relations Committee, one from the majority party
2 and one from the minority party; two members of the Education
3 Committee, one from the majority party and one from the minority
4 party; two members of the Health and Welfare Committee, one from
5 the majority party and one from the minority party; and two
6 members of the House at large, one from the majority party and
7 one from the minority party, one of whom shall be appointed
8 chairman by the Speaker; and be it further
9 RESOLVED, That the committee may hold hearings, take
10 testimony and make its investigations at such places as it deems
11 necessary in this Commonwealth. Each member of the committee
12 shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations to
13 witnesses appearing before the committee; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That within 30 calendar days after the committee
15 has made its report or the mandate of the committee has expired,
16 the chairman of the committee shall cause a record of all
17 expenses incurred by the committee, or the members thereof,
18 which are payable at Commonwealth expense, to be filed with the
19 Chief Clerk.
H15L82VDL/19850H0206R2579 - 3 -