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S.C.R. 2

             1     

RESOLUTION PROMOTING LEGISLATORS

             2     
BACK TO SCHOOL PROGRAM

             3     
2008 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Margaret Dayton

             6     
House Sponsor: Gregory H. Hughes

             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 2007; and
             20          .    urges continued support for and participation in Utah's Legislators Back to School
             21      Program during the 2008-09 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 as the
             30      supreme law of the land, which establishes a republican form of government and provides the
             31      principle for self-government, government by the people through the democratic process;
             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 established America's
             39      Legislators Back to School Program, a bipartisan program for legislators across the nation to
             40      impart greater understanding of the necessity for debate, negotiation, and compromise in the
             41      legislative process of developing effective public policy, to engage future voters and leaders in
             42      a dialogue about the value of representative democracy, and to adapt the program 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 ranked second in the nation for participation in this
             48      program during the 2006-07 school year and have ranked in the top three since the program's
             49      inception:
             50          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
             51      Governor concurring therein, emphasize and urge support of civic education to promote greater
             52      understanding of government and the role of legislators in representative democracy.
             53          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor recognize Utah's
             54      Legislators Back to School Program and urge each member of the Legislature to visit students
             55      in classrooms during the school year.
             56          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the State Board
             57      of Education and the executive director of the National Conference of State Legislatures.





Legislative Review Note
    as of 6-28-07 2:10 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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