Bill Text: PA HR833 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct an in-depth analysis of the occurrence, effects and trends of poverty and low income in this Commonwealth.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 26-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-10-06 - Removed from table [HR833 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR833-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3841
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 833 Session of2010
INTRODUCED BY DePASQUALE, BELFANTI, BISHOP, BRIGGS, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, D. COSTA, GEIST, HARKINS, HOUGHTON, JOHNSON, KORTZ, MANDERINO, MUNDY, MURPHY, READSHAW, REED, SEIP, SHAPIRO, K. SMITH, STABACK, STURLA, WAGNER, WHEATLEY AND YOUNGBLOOD, JUNE 2, 2010
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JUNE 2, 2010
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct an
in-depth analysis of the occurrence, effects and trends of
poverty and low income in this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, Based on the United States Census Bureau data for
2008 nearly 1.46 million Pennsylvanians, including more than
444,600 children, lived in poverty; and
WHEREAS, In 2008 the Federal Government defined poverty as an
annual income of $21,200 or less for a couple with two children;
and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's overall poverty rate has risen from
10.5% in 2000 to 12.1% in 2008, and between 2007 and 2008
Pennsylvania was one of only eight states that had a
statistically significant increase in poverty, from 11.6% to
12.1%; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth's increase in poverty was recorded
even before significant job losses occurred in 2009; and
WHEREAS, The rate of poverty among children increased from
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14.9% in 2000 to 16.4% in 2008 in this Commonwealth, and the
rate of family poverty from 7.8% in 2000 to 8.5% in 2008; and
WHEREAS, Families and individuals living in poverty struggle
to have the resources or opportunities to meet their basic
needs, including adequate housing, child care, nutrition and
health care, thus diminishing their prospects for financial
security and independence, and potentially deepening their
dependence on State assistance; and
WHEREAS, The stress and side effects of poverty can undermine
the safety and stability of children, families and individuals;
and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians living in poverty often face many
barriers impacting access and opportunity to education, training
and career ladders essential to employment and wages to afford
food, housing, health care and quality child care; and
WHEREAS, The recession has deepened economic insecurity in
all regions of this Commonwealth, as many families have been
impacted by unemployment, bankruptcy, home foreclosures, hunger,
inadequate access to health care and homelessness; and
WHEREAS, Poverty affects the development of a trained and
skilled work force, the State's competitiveness and business
climate, as well as State and local government budgets; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has a compelling interest to reduce
poverty and to enlist the public and private sectors in an
examination and identification of strategies to help alleviate
it and the resulting side effects for individuals, families and
the Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
State Government Commission to conduct an in-depth study of the
occurrence, effects, trends and future projections of poverty in
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this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission be
authorized to create a task force in this undertaking; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission and task
force propose a timeline for additional status reports to the
House of Representatives on the state of poverty and progress on
recommendations; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission identify
no fewer than 25 members of the task force with bipartisan,
broad-based and geographically diverse representation from the
legislative and executive branches as well as business, faith,
community, labor, local government, human services advocates and
individuals affected by poverty to examine data, interview
individuals and families, hold no less than six public listening
events in different geographic locations throughout this
Commonwealth, survey communities and examine successful
strategies used in other states' poverty reduction efforts; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission issue a
report based on the recommendations of the task force to the
House of Representatives no later than 18 months from the date
that this resolution is adopted.
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