Bill Text: MI SR0084 | 2011-2012 | 96th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: A resolution to express the sense of this legislative body that the state of Michigan should intensify its efforts to reduce the high rates of teen pregnancies.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-3)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-10-06 - Referred To Committee On Health Policy [SR0084 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2011-SR0084-Introduced.html
Senators Anderson, Warren, Young and Whitmer offered the following resolution:
Senate Resolution No. 84.
A resolution to express the sense of this legislative body that the state of Michigan should intensify its efforts to reduce the high rates of teen pregnancies.
Whereas, Almost 800,000 teenagers become pregnant each year in the United States; and
Whereas, In 2008, there were 12,277 births to mothers between the ages of 15 and 19 in our state. In certain communities of Michigan, the rates of pregnancy far exceed the national and state averages. Detroit is a leader among American cities with the highest rate of births to teens. The recession has increased the difficulties stemming from teen pregnancies; and
Whereas, Despite progress over the last decade, nearly one-third of teenage girls in the United States become pregnant. This is the highest teen pregnancy rate among industrialized countries and more than twice the rate of Canada; and
Whereas, Latina and African-American teen girls are more likely than not to become pregnant at least once before the age of 20, and Native American teens have a birth rate more than double that of non-Hispanic white teens; and
Whereas, Teen pregnancy is closely linked to a number of critical social issues, such as poverty, educational attainment, involvement in the criminal justice and child welfare systems, and more. Teen childbearing is estimated to cost taxpayers in this country $9.1 billion each year, most of which is due to costs associated with negative social and health outcomes for the children of teen parents; and
Whereas, A child is nine times more likely to grow up in poverty if he or she is born to unmarried teen parents who have not yet completed high school. Less than half of mothers who have a child before they turn 18 ever graduate from high school, and less than 2 percent of mothers who have children before 18 have a college degree by age 30. Children of teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely and at a low birth weight. Children of teen parents are twice as likely to suffer abuse and neglect than would occur if their mothers had delayed childbearing; and
Whereas, Fully 73 percent of adults and a plurality of teens wish that teens were getting more information about both abstinence and contraception; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That the members of this body believe that the state of Michigan should intensify its efforts to reduce the high rates of teen pregnancies and births by raising awareness about the importance of this critical issue, promoting parent-child communication, and investing in programs that have been proven to reduce teen pregnancy; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Department of Community Health.
