Bill Text: TX SR709 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Proclaiming April of 2011 to be Child Abuse Prevention Month in Texas.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2011-04-06 - Again read [SR709 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SR709-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, Children are our most precious resource, and they | ||
deserve to grow up in an environment free of abuse and neglect; no | ||
child should have to endure abuse, especially at the hands of an | ||
adult; unfortunately, children are far too often abused and | ||
neglected by the very adults who should be protecting and caring | ||
for them; and | ||
WHEREAS, Child abuse and neglect is a complex and ongoing | ||
problem in our society, and every year the state confirms more | ||
victims; the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, | ||
which administers the state's Child Protective Services program, | ||
received more than 290,000 reports of child abuse and neglect in | ||
2010; that year, 227 Texas children died because of abuse or | ||
neglect at the hands of their parents or guardians, and 66,897 | ||
children were confirmed victims of abuse or neglect; on any given | ||
day, there are more than 17,000 Texas children and teenagers in | ||
foster care; and | ||
WHEREAS, Adults who are attentive to and aware of | ||
children's behaviors are in the best position to safeguard their | ||
well-being; the majority of Texas child abuse cases involve | ||
neglectful supervision, which is the placing of a child in or the | ||
failure to remove a child from a situation that a reasonable | ||
person would realize requires judgment or actions beyond the | ||
child's level of maturity, physical condition, or mental | ||
abilities and that results in bodily injury or substantial risk | ||
of immediate harm to the child; and | ||
WHEREAS, No single entity by itself can prevent child abuse | ||
from happening; child abuse and neglect can be reduced by making | ||
sure that all families have the support they need and deserve in | ||
order to be able to raise their children in a healthy | ||
environment; communities must make every effort to promote | ||
programs that benefit children and their families; cities and | ||
towns across Texas need to work to provide the support families | ||
need to stay together and raise children and youth to be happy, | ||
secure, and stable adults; effective child abuse prevention | ||
programs succeed because of partnerships among agencies, | ||
schools, religious organizations, law enforcement agencies, and | ||
the business community; and | ||
WHEREAS, Everyone in the community should accept the | ||
responsibility of keeping children safe from abuse and neglect; | ||
parents, friends, neighbors, and other concerned Texans should | ||
report suspected abuse or neglect to available hotlines or by | ||
contacting local law enforcement; and | ||
WHEREAS, Since the 1980s, April has traditionally been | ||
designated as the month to recognize child abuse prevention; many | ||
people wear or display blue ribbons during April in memory of | ||
those who have died as a result of child abuse; however, we must | ||
be vigilant against child abuse not only during April but | ||
throughout the year; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd | ||
Legislature, hereby proclaim April of 2011 to be Child Abuse | ||
Prevention Month in Texas and urge all citizens to work together | ||
to help reduce child abuse and neglect; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in | ||
honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month. | ||
Nelson, Uresti | ||
________________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on April 5, 2011. | ||
________________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate |