ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 172

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JUNE 23, 1997

By Assemblywomen CRECCO, FARRAGHER, Assemblymen Kavanaugh, Corodemus, Blee, LeFevre, Gibson, Rooney, Romano, Felice, Asselta, Malone, Rocco, Assemblywoman Heck, Assemblymen Kelly, Carroll, Bucco, Moran, Doria, Talarico, Garrett and Gregg

An Assembly Resolution urging the Governor and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services to apply for certain federal sex education funds.

Whereas, The recently enacted federal legislation reforming welfare provides $50 million per year in each of the next five years for states to fund programs which teach that extramarital sex is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects; and

Whereas, It is the intention of the federal legislation to reduce the number of out-of-wedlock births in the United States which has the highest ratio of unwed births to teenagers among industrialized nations; and

Whereas, New Jersey's allocation of the federal funds would be approximately $843,071 per year for a total of $4.2 million over five years; and

Whereas, Under the legislation, schools and community-based groups could apply to the State for funds to support programs that promote the social, psychological and health gains of abstinence; and

Whereas, Abstinence is the only completely reliable means of eliminating the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and of avoiding pregnancy; and

Whereas, In order to finance programs which are so important for the health and welfare of New Jersey's children, this State should join with the other states that have indicated an intention to apply for the federal sex education funds; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. This House respectfully urges the Governor and the Department of Health and Senior Services to apply for the federal funds now

available to the State for distribution to schools and communities for the funding of programs which are designed to promote abstinence.

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to Governor Christine Todd Whitman and to Commissioner Len Fishman, Department of Health and Senior Services.

STATEMENT

    This resolution urges the Governor and the Department of Health and Senior Services to apply for the federal funds now available to the State for distribution to schools and communities for the funding of programs which are designed to promote abstinence.

Urges Governor and Department of Health and Senior Services to apply for certain federal sex education funds.