H.C.R. 2 Enrolled

1

RESOLUTION PROMOTING UTAH'S
2 LEGISLATORS BACK TO SCHOOL PROGRAM
3 2006 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Margaret Dayton
6 Senate Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor expresses support for
11 civic education and Utah's Legislators Back to School Program.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . emphasizes the importance of legislators promoting greater understanding of the
15 legislative process and building public trust and confidence in representative
16 democracy through civic education;
17 . recognizes Utah's high level of participation in the National Conference of State
18 Legislatures' Legislators Back to School Program from students, teachers, and
19 legislators during 2005; and
20 . urges continued support for and participation in Utah's Legislators Back to School
21 Program during the 2006-2007 school year.
22 Special Clauses:
23 None
24
25 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
26 WHEREAS, civic education is a vital tool to promote greater understanding of the
27 legislative process and the role of legislators in representative democracy and to build public
28 trust and confidence;
29 WHEREAS, Utah legislators acknowledge the Constitution of the United States, the

30 supreme law of the land, which establishes a democratic form of government and provides the
31 principle for self government, government by the people;
32 WHEREAS, Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence stated,
33 "There is but one method of rendering a republican form of government . . . by disseminating
34 the seeds of virtue and knowledge through every part of the state by means of proper places and
35 modes of education . . . and this can be done effectively only by the aid of the legislature";
36 WHEREAS, Utah legislators, students, teachers, and administrators realize the
37 importance of compromise in reconciling competing interests in a diverse society;
38 WHEREAS, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) established
39 America's Legislators Back to School Program, a bipartisan program for legislators across the
40 nation to impart greater understanding of the necessity for debate, negotiation, and compromise
41 in the legislative process of developing effective public policy, and to engage future voters and
42 leaders in a dialogue about the value of representative democracy and to adapt to each
43 individual state;
44 WHEREAS, this civic education program helps to instill the values of representative
45 democracy, strengthen the democratic process, and encourage students to play a responsible
46 role in their government; and
47 WHEREAS, Utah legislators have ranked in the top 3% of the nation for participation
48 in this program since 2002:
49 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
50 Governor concurring therein, emphasize and urge support of civic education to promote greater
51 understanding of government and the role of legislators in representative democracy.
52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor recognize Utah's
53 Legislators Back to School Program and urge each member of the Legislature to visit students
54 in classrooms during the school year.
55 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the State Board
56 of Education and the executive director of the National Conference of State Legislatures.