Reps. Meadows, Ball, Booher, Lisa Brown, Byrnes, Caul, Constan, Crawford, Dean, Geiss, Haugh, Huckleberry, Robert Jones, Kandrevas, LeBlanc, Lemmons, Lipton, Miller, Neumann, Pearce, Polidori, Rogers, Wayne Schmidt, Scripps, Spade, Stanley, Switalski, Valentine, Durhal, Gregory, Sheltrown and Walsh offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 164.

A resolution designating October 15, 2009, as Conflict Resolution Day in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, Conflict resolution encompasses mediation, arbitration, facilitation, collaborative decision making and other responses to differences; and

Whereas, The conflict resolution process empowers individuals, families, communities, organizations and business to foster communication and devise solutions that are acceptable to the needs and interests of all parties involved; and

Whereas, Conflict resolution is taught and practiced by citizens in many school systems, universities and graduate programs throughout Michigan and the world as a way of solving disputes and also as a means toward achieving a more peaceful society; and

Whereas, Community based programs fairly and equitably resolve neighborhood and community conflicts, thereby strengthening local relationships and relieving the parties and the courts of costly litigation; and

Whereas, Professional associations of conflict mediators and facilitators promote peaceful and creative resolutions to problems; and

Whereas, Michigan Public Act 260 of 1988 known as the Community Dispute Resolution Act authorized the establishment of community dispute resolution centers throughout the state of Michigan under the oversight and administration of the State Supreme Court and the Michigan Supreme Court Office of Dispute Resolution supports and oversees 20 community resolution centers throughout the state which provide conciliation, mediation and other forms of dispute resolution to Michigan citizens, schools and businesses; and

Whereas, Professional and volunteer conflict resolvers, all of whom have completed a 40-hour training program approved by the State Court Administrative Office and a supervised internship, are serving as mediators, facilitators and conciliators in variety of situations resulting in less time and expense to reach mutually satisfactory solutions rather than solutions imposed on the parties; and

Whereas, Recognition of these efforts provides an opportunity for increased public understanding of peaceful and constructive ways to resolve interpersonal and intergroup conflicts of all types; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body designate October 15, 2009, as Conflict Resolution Day in Michigan in the hope that all possible support will continue to promote the availability and use of conflict resolution methods throughout Michigan, the country and the world.