THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY READSHAW, D. COSTA, CLYMER, BAKER, BELFANTI, BROOKS, BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CONKLIN, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARKINS, HELM, HESS, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, PARKER, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, REICHLEY, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SEIP, SIPTROTH, SONNEY, STABACK, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH, WATERS, WATSON, WHITE, BISHOP, BOBACK, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, BENNINGHOFF, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, DRUCKER, MARSHALL, MARSICO, McCALL, MIRABITO, MUNDY, SAYLOR, PASHINSKI, QUINN, STEVENSON, BRADFORD AND K. SMITH, FEBRUARY 9, 2010

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, FEBRUARY 9, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of April 2010 as "Child Abuse Prevention

Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Children bring happiness into our lives and hope to

our future; and

WHEREAS, Children are our greatest joy and our most important

responsibility; and

WHEREAS, It is our responsibility as parents, friends,

neighbors, citizens and lawmakers to nurture and protect

children, providing an atmosphere of love and respect in which

they are able to grow into healthy, well-adjusted and productive

adults; and

WHEREAS, We, as a legislative body, have an ongoing

commitment to protect the rights and needs of children; and

WHEREAS, In December 1999 the Senate directed the Joint State

Government Commission to study child abuse within this

Commonwealth and make recommendations to the General Assembly;

and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly has defined child abuse as any

"recent act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes

nonaccidental serious physical injury to a child under 18 years

of age" or an "act or failure to act by a perpetrator which

causes nonaccidental serious mental injury to or sexual abuse or

sexual exploitation of a child under 18 years of age" and has

made it illegal to engage in such activity; and

WHEREAS, Child abuse crosses all racial, economic and

geographic boundaries and has reached epidemic proportions

across this nation and throughout this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, There were 23,181 cases of possible child abuse or

maltreatment referred for investigation in this Commonwealth in

2006; and

WHEREAS, There were 4,152 substantiated cases of child abuse

and neglect in this Commonwealth in 2006; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of Pennsylvanians in schools, social

service agencies, churches and neighborhood groups throughout

this Commonwealth are working hard to nurture and support the

victims of child abuse and prevent future abuse; and

WHEREAS, In spite of the dedication and sacrifice of these

individuals, much more still needs to be done to guarantee a

childhood free of abuse and victimization to every child in this

Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, As our knowledge about the prevention and treatment

of child abuse grows, we must provide support, information and

guidance to families in which child abuse may happen; therefore

be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the

month of April 2010 as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" in

Pennsylvania; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives continue to do

its part in creating a nurturing and supportive environment for

all children in this Commonwealth so that they might grow up to

be healthy and productive citizens; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend the many

individuals and community groups and organizations who work

daily to treat and prevent child abuse in this Commonwealth and

urge all Pennsylvanians to do their part in preventing the

tragedy of child abuse.