Bill Text: IL SJR0005 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Creates the Parents and Community Accountability Study Committee to examine issues related to racial and socioeconomic disparities affecting the pro-social development of children and youth, to identify ways to engage more parents in being accountable for the actions of their children, and to identify ways to engage more communities in being accountable for investing in pro-social development of children and families.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-05-30 - Adopted Both Houses [SJR0005 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SJR0005-Introduced.html

---

SJ0005 LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, According to the 2005 American Community Survey,
over 12 million people lived in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Of the people living in Illinois, 72 percent are
White, 15 percent are African-American, 4 percent are Asian,
and 9 percent are of Other Races; and
WHEREAS, Of the citizens in Illinois, 15 percent are of
Hispanic or Latino origin and 85 percent are not of Hispanic or
Latino origin; and
WHEREAS, Seven percent of the population is under 5 years
of age, 19 percent is between 5 and 17 years of age, 58 percent
is between 18 and 64 years of age, and 16 percent of the
population is 65 years of age or older; and
WHEREAS, There are 3,229,558 children under 18 years of age
living in households in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Of the children living in Illinois, 65 percent are
White, 18 percent are African-American, 4 percent are Asian,
and 13 percent are Other Races; and
WHEREAS, Of the children in Illinois, 20 percent are of

SJ0005 - 2 - LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
Hispanic or Latino origin and 80 percent are not Hispanic or
Latino; and
WHEREAS, Eighty-eight percent of children live in the same
household as their parents, seven percent live with
grandparents, three percent live with other relatives, and two
percent live with unrelated foster parents; and
WHEREAS, Of the 4,691,020 households in Illinois, 50
percent are defined as married-couple family household, four
percent are defined as male householder - no wife present, 13
percent are defined as female householder - no husband present,
and 33 percent are defined as non-family household; and
WHEREAS, Eight percent of children who live in
married-couple family households received public assistance in
the past 12 months; 21 percent of children who live in male
householder - no wife present family households received public
assistance in the past 12 months; and 43% of children who live
in female householder - no husband present family household
received public assistance in the past 12 months; and
WHEREAS, Of the low-income households in Illinois, 78
percent experienced housing problems; and 23% of White
households experienced housing problems compared to 42 percent
of African-American households and 53 percent of Hispanic

SJ0005 - 3 - LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
households; and
WHEREAS, Examination of educational achievement for
Illinois residents 25 years and older reveals that 15 percent
have achieved less than a high school diploma, 28 percent
graduated from high school, 28 percent attended college or
received an associated degree, 18 percent received a bachelor's
degree, and 11 percent have attained a graduate degree or
higher or professional degree; and
WHEREAS, Fifty-four percent of low-income households pay
more than 50 percent of their household income for housing; and
WHEREAS, Over 44,000 adults are in prison, and 94 percent
are male and six percent are female; 60 percent are
African-American, 11 percent are Hispanic, and 28 percent are
White; and
WHEREAS, Of the more than 1,400 juveniles in prison, 92
percent are male and eight percent are female; and 54 percent
are African-American, 11 percent are Hispanic, and 34 percent
are White; and
WHEREAS, Children reared by single parents are more likely
to drop out of high school, commit criminal acts, and become
homeless; and

SJ0005 - 4 - LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
WHEREAS, Since 2002, over 26,000 children per year are
indicated for abuse or neglect and are living with parents more
likely to be identified as the perpetrator; and
WHEREAS, The socioeconomic status of the parents affects
the risk of children experiencing violent acts, growing up in
violent communities, and not having access to a quality
education or affordable and quality health care; and
WHEREAS, Families are under stress and are increasingly
unable to protect or provide for their children; and
WHEREAS, Family violence, including domestic violence,
negatively affects children's emotional and psychological
well-being; and
WHEREAS, Families living below poverty and middle income
earners are more likely to become homeless as there is a severe
shortage of affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, The family is the primary institution for caring
and providing for the emotional, physical, and social
well-being of children and assuring that they receive the moral
guidance and social skills to successfully reach their
potential and contribute as citizens; and

SJ0005 - 5 - LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
WHEREAS, Many children live in communities where food
deserts exist - they are unable to access healthy food; and
WHEREAS, Children living in some urban communities are
frequently exposed to different levels of assorted toxic
chemicals both inside and outside the home; and
WHEREAS, Low-income children and their parents are less
likely to have access to quality health care, less likely to
have incomes to secure safe and affordable housing, and less
likely to have community schools with certified teachers than
affluent families; and
WHEREAS, There is a relationship between child well-being,
family well-being, and a community's social and economic
strength; and
WHEREAS, Parents are primarily responsible for instilling
in their children moral, community, civic, and social
responsibility; and
WHEREAS, Community institutions, agencies, and
organizations have a moral and social responsibility to assist
their members in achieving optimal well-being; therefore, be it

SJ0005 - 6 - LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Parents and
Community Accountability Study Committee, hereafter referred
to as the Committee, consisting of 29 members appointed as
follows:
(1) Three members appointed by the President of the
Senate;
(2) Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
Senate;
(3) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives;
(4) Two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives;
(5) One member of the Governor's staff appointed by the
Governor;
(6) Two members appointed by the Chair of the Illinois
African-American Family Commission;
(7) Two members appointed by the Joint Chair of an
association that represents Illinois African American
legislators;
(8) One member appointed by the Chair of the Illinois
Prisoner Review Board;
(9) One member from each of the following State
agencies appointed by their respective heads: Department
of Children and Family Services, Department of Human

SJ0005 - 7 - LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
Services, Department on Aging, Illinois State Board of
Education, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of
Healthcare and Family Services, and Department of
Corrections; and
(10) Six public members representing the interests of
child welfare advocates, public health researchers, the
general public, the formerly incarcerated, faith-based
community, and court personnel - each appointed by the
Governor; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Department of Human Services in
conjunction with the Department of Children and Family Services
shall provide staff and administrative support to the
Committee; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Committee shall examine issues related
to racial and socioeconomic disparities affecting the
pro-social development of children and youth; shall identify
ways to engage more parents in being accountable for the
actions of their children; and shall identify ways to engage
more communities in being accountable for investing in
pro-social development of children and families; the Committee
shall also research the types of supports needed to help
parents develop the necessary skills to ensure that their
children achieve positive youth development and to reduce
factors that lead to violence in the community, home, and

SJ0005 - 8 - LRB096 03553 DRJ 13578 r
school; the Committee shall also study what systems are needed
to assist communities to reinvest in and support children and
families; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Committee shall hold public hearings in
every Legislative District it deems necessary and present a
report of its findings and recommendations to the 96th General
Assembly before June 30, 2010.