Bill Text: IL SJR0044 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Shows the General Assembly's support for the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights and designates the month of June as "Leave No Child Inside Month" in the State of Illinois.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-05-22 - Adopted Both Houses [SJR0044 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SJR0044-Introduced.html

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly is aware that
scientific research shows that children are increasingly
distanced from nature, even while an increasing number of
researchers and scientists have determined the benefits of
outdoor play for children and that direct exposure to nature is
essential for healthy childhood physical, emotional, and
spiritual development; and
WHEREAS, Children's understanding of nature is eclipsed by
their knowledge of television characters; the average eight
year old is better able to identify cartoon characters than
even common plants and animals; and
WHEREAS, Addressing the imminent and threatening
environmental issues of our time requires an active citizenry;
providing children with outdoor nature experiences increases
involvement in stewardship of our environment; and
WHEREAS, Time spent in nature by children promotes
curiosity, improves the learning of science, and provides joy
and a sense of well-being; and
WHEREAS, Actively engaging adults, mentors, and youth
leaders and building their capacity to facilitate

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opportunities for children to engage in nature discovery and
learning in safe places, with a special emphasis on engaging
underserved and ethnically diverse audiences, as well as
non-traditional partners, is a vital step in this process; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a longstanding
commitment to its natural heritage, connecting its people to
the land and passing traditions on to future generations
through outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, bird
watching, cross country skiing, and nature walks; and
WHEREAS, Bringing nature to children and creating safe
places and programs that provide increased and improved outdoor
nature exploration opportunities for children to promote
discovery and creative play is of utmost importance to our
society; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is endowed with a gloriously
diverse landscape, ranging from prairies and woodlands to the
cypress swamps of southern Illinois to the bluffs of the
Illinois valley and spreading across the farmlands of our rural
communities to the backyard bungalows, play lots, and parks of
our cities, all of which must be shared with the children and
families of this State; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is rich in educational

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initiatives, conservation organizations, conservation
districts, forest preserve districts, park districts,
recreation agencies, schools, and civic organizations that are
all actively engaged in promoting environmental education;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CONCURRING HEREIN, that we show our support for the Children's
Outdoor Bill of Rights, which states that every child should
have the opportunity to discover the wilderness, which includes
the State's prairies, dunes, forests, savannas, and wetlands;
camp under the stars; follow a trail; catch and release fish,
frogs, and insects; climb a tree; explore nature in
neighborhoods and cities; celebrate their heritage; plant a
flower; play in the mud or a stream; and learn to swim; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That we hereby designate the month of June as
"Leave No Child Inside Month" in the State of Illinois in
furtherance of our support of this important initiative.