Bill Text: IL HR0695 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Encourages increased awareness of the statistics surrounding the treatment of African American children and families in existing institutions. Encourages legislation to reduce unnecessary government intervention.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-06-23 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HR0695 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HR0695-Introduced.html

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HR0695 LRB101 16773 LAW 66166 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Healthy families are vital to the success of our
children and, ultimately, our nation; and
WHEREAS, Nationally, African American children are almost
twice as likely as white children to have their well-being
investigated by child protective services; and
WHEREAS, African American women and their children have
long been overrepresented in the child welfare system, and
while African American children represent 15 percent of the
nation's children, they account for 45 percent of the foster
care population and are four times as likely as white children
to be in foster care; and
WHEREAS, As a percentage of the general population, African
American children are five times more likely than Caucasian
children to be in out-of-home care and are nearly twice as
likely to enter care for "parent reasons", and African American
families are more likely to be reported for neglect; and
WHEREAS, In Minnesota alone, African American children are
16.3 times as likely as Caucasian children to be placed out of
home during a child protection assessment; and

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WHEREAS, We believe that it is best to protect the best
interests of African American children and to promote the
stability and security of African American families to prevent
arbitrary and unnecessary removal of African American children
from their families; and
WHEREAS, The creation of an African American Child Welfare
Advisory Council in our State would work to address disparities
at major decision points, while providing oversight and
accountability to the child protection workforce; and
WHEREAS, It is necessary to protect children and strengthen
families, reduce the overall cost of child welfare services and
out of home placement, reduce law enforcement and judicial
system costs for intervention, improve the mental health and
social function of African American children, and improve the
child protection department's efficacy; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, That
we encourage State policymakers to increase their awareness of
the statistics surrounding the treatment of African American
children and families in our existing institutions, to enact
legislation to protect African American children and allow them
to stay in safe home environments, and to work to reduce
unnecessary government intervention into their homes and

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disruptions of their family unit; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, the Vice President of the
United States, members of the United States House of
Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal
and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.