HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 156

(By Delegates Fleischauer, Azinger, Barill, Brown,

Butcher, D. Campbell, Doyle, Duke, Ferns, Hamilton

Hatfield, Iaquinta, Manypenny, Marshall, Martin, Moore

Moye, Perry, Pino, D. Poling, M. Poling, Poore, Rodighiero,

Shaver, Skaff, Smith, Staggers, Swartzmiller, Talbott,

Wells and Williams

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to authorize the Joint Committee on Health and the Joint Committee on Infrastructure to both study the: (1) Laws affecting the ability of children to safely walk or bicycle to school; and (2) determine what alterations in policy can be made to facilitate the safety of children walking and bicycling to school.

    Whereas, The youth obesity rate in West Virginia and nationwide has tripled in the past twenty years; and

    Whereas, The percentage of children walking to school has decreased from 50% in 1969 to 13% in 2004; and

    Whereas, Research shows that walking an extra 15 minutes per day can result in 2-4 pounds of fat burned in a year; and

    Whereas, The number one concern of parents in encouraging their children to walk or bike to school is safety which is compromised by the speed and volume of traffic. These are directly related to local and state infrastructure policy; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance authorize the Joint Committee on Health and the Joint Committee on Infrastructure to both study the impact of state and local laws, regulations, and policies on the safety and convenience of use of pedestrian routes to and from schools; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Committees on Health and Infrastructure both report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance prior to the first day of the regular session, 2012, on their findings, conclusions and recommendations together with drafts of any legislation to effectuate their recommendations; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.