H.C.R. 2

1

HEALTHY FAMILY PARTNERSHIP
2 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
3 2009 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Curtis Oda
6 Senate Sponsor: Sheldon L. Killpack
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor urges that age
11 appropriate materials on family violence prevention be available in Utah's public
12 schools and that state government continue community partnerships to help youth
13 prevent family and dating violence.
14 Highlighted Provisions:
15 This resolution:
16 . encourages the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah State Board of Regents,
17 as resources permit, to ensure that all middle school, junior high, senior high, and
18 post-secondary education programs in the state provide timely and age appropriate
19 materials on the dangers of family and dating violence, how to identify the problem,
20 how to get help, and how to provide support for friends or siblings caught in an
21 abusive situation; and
22 . encourages the Department of Human Services to ensure, as resources permit, that
23 high risk families receive violence prevention services, which research has shown
24 significantly reduces the incidence of child abuse and domestic violence while
25 providing the Utah taxpayer with a significant cost benefit advantage.
26 Special Clauses:
27 None

28
29 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
30 WHEREAS, the violence, suffering, and death resulting from family and dating
31 violence has devastated an alarming number of Utah's families;
32 WHEREAS, the tragedy of family and dating violence has a generational impact on
33 children and youth;
34 WHEREAS, as with so many societal ills, preventing family violence and dating
35 violence is essential;
36 WHEREAS, age appropriate late elementary, middle school, junior high, senior high,
37 and post-secondary education programs should be evaluated to determine whether adequate
38 prevention programs are in place at each level;
39 WHEREAS, each Utah school district, in cooperation with community partners, should
40 determine if an improved prevention effort should be implemented to better educate these age
41 groups on the dangers of family and dating violence and the skills needed to avoid them, both
42 now and later in life;
43 WHEREAS, the future that Utah's children enjoy will hinge, in part, on whether they
44 are armed with the knowledge, skills, and willpower to avoid family and dating violence; and
45 WHEREAS, providing research-based prevention services have shown a significant
46 reduction in family violence and a significant savings to taxpayers:
47 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
48 Governor concurring therein, encourage the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah State
49 Board of Regents to ensure, as resources permit, that all middle school, junior high, senior
50 high, and post-secondary education programs in the state review their current family violence
51 and dating violence prevention efforts in partnership with Utah families, state government, the
52 business community, city and county governments, private nonprofit organizations, and the
53 religious community to provide timely and age appropriate materials and services and to
54 prevent the needless suffering and taxpayers' burdens generated by family and dating violence.
55 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage the
56 Department of Human Services to ensure, as resources permit, that high risk families receive
57 violence prevention services to reduce the incidents of child abuse and domestic violence.
58 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah

59 Department of Human Services, the Utah State Board of Education, the Utah State Board of
60 Regents, the Utah School Boards Association, and the Utah School Superintendents
61 Association.




Legislative Review Note
as of 12-16-08 2:15 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel