HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 76

(By Delegates Webster, Wills, Mahan, C. White, Manuel, Craig, Fleischauer, J. Smith, Keener, Leach, Spencer, Brown, Marshall, Doyle, Hubbard, Staton, Hatfield, Douglas, Wright, Morgan, Yeager and Amores)


[Introduced March 6, 2002; referred to the

Committee on Rules.]


Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to make a study of the high unemployment rate and other socioeconomic problems confronting African Americans in this State.

Whereas, The disproportionately high number of social and economic indicators among African Americans in the areas of employment, education, criminal justice, health and family/social structure demonstrate a significant decline in the overall quality of life in the African American community in this State; and
Whereas, The unemployment rate for African American adults in West Virginia is approximately double the overall unemployment rate in this State, with unemployment figures from 1995 thru 1997 showing an average unemployment rate of 15% for African American adults compared to an overall average unemployment rate of 7.4%; and
Whereas, African American businesses comprise less than 1% of all businesses in West Virginia, demonstrating a scarcity of entrepreneurial opportunities for African Americans in this State; and
Whereas, The high unemployment rate of African Americans disproportionately affects poor, under educated "working age" males, which adversely impacts the economic stability of African American families and contributes to the breakdown of family and social structures in the African American community; and
Whereas, A majority of African American households in this State are headed by single women who are recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), or who are minimum wage/low wage earners categorized as "working poor"; and
Whereas, There is a wide disparity in public education between African Americans and Caucasians in West Virginia, with school standardized testing indicating a significant achievement gap between African Americans and Caucasians, and with public schools having an over representation of African American children in special education programs and an under representation of African American children in gifted education programs; and
Whereas, There is a wide disparity in the criminal justice system between African Americans and Caucasians in this State, with a recent study indicating that West Virginia has one of the highest over representations of African Americans in the juvenile justice system of any state in the nation, and with a state African American adult prison population of 33.3% compared to the overall African American population rate of approximately 3.2% of total West Virginia population; and
Whereas, There is a wide disparity in the criminal justice system between African Americans and Caucasians in this State as to the continued problem of racial profiling by law enforcement agencies - a problem which has been acknowledged by the Legislature with the passage of H.B. 4289 during this session prohibiting racial profiling - but which is deserving of continued vigilance and oversight by improving the methodology of compiling vehicle traffic stop data to bring about an end to this degrading practice once and for all; and
Whereas, There is a wide disparity in health care between African Americans and Caucasians in West Virginia, with fewer African Americans having access to quality health care, and with African Americans having disproportionately higher death rates from numerous diseases, as well as an overall lower life expectancy; and
Whereas, There is a great need for a comprehensive study of the problems facing the African American community in West Virginia, and a great need for genuine solutions to these problems which so tragically afflict the African American citizens of this State; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to review, examine and study the high unemployment rate and other socioeconomic problems confronting African Americans in this State, and to further develop proposals which will enhance present services to low income families to improve the economic and employment opportunities of African Americans and to help strengthen the family and social structure of the African American community; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2003, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its 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.