Alaska 2023-2024 Regular Session

Alaska House Bill HCR12 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2		HCR012a -1- HCR 12
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11	11		HOUSE CONCURRENT R ESOLUTION NO. 12
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13	13		IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
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15	15		THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION
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17	17		BY REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN
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19	19		Introduced: 2/20/24
20	20		Referred: Health and Social Services, Judiciary
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23	23		A RESOLUTION
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25	25		Recognizing the public health crisis created by the accessibility and pervasiveness of 1
26	26		pornography; and recognizing the need for education, prevention, research, and 2
27	27		changes in public policy to address the harms caused by the accessibility and 3
28	28		pervasiveness of pornography in communities in the state. 4
29	29		BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 5
30	30		WHEREAS pervasive access to and use of pornography by increasingly younger 6
31	31		audiences is creating a public health crisis, the harms of which are beyond the capability of 7
32	32		the individual alone to address; and 8
33	33		WHEREAS efforts to prevent pornography exposure and addiction, to educate 9
34	34		individuals and families concerning pornography's harms, and to develop recovery programs 10
35	35		must be addressed systemically in ways that hold broader influences accountable in order to 11
36	36		counter the sexually toxic environment perpetuated by the pervasiveness of pornography; and 12
37	37		WHEREAS pornography is contributing to the hyper-sexualization of teens and 13
38	38		prepubescent children in communities in the state; and 14
39	39		WHEREAS, because of advances in technology and the near universal availability of 15 33-LS1416\B
40	40		HCR 12 -2- HCR012a
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43	43		the Internet, young children are being exposed at an alarming rate to what was formerly 1
44	44		referred to as hardcore pornography but is now considered mainstream pornography; and 2
45	45		WHEREAS studies have shown that the average age of first exposure to pornography 3
46	46		is between 11 and 12 years old; and 4
47	47		WHEREAS early exposure to pornography is leading to low self-esteem, eating 5
48	48		disorders, an increase in problematic sexual activity at younger ages, and an increased desire 6
49	49		in young adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviors; and 7
50	50		WHEREAS exposure of children and youth to pornography distorts sexual templates 8
51	51		and undermines sex education efforts; and 9
52	52		WHEREAS pornography objectivizes its subjects, reducing individuals to 10
53	53		commodities for the viewer's use; and 11
54	54		WHEREAS the detrimental effects of pornography include emotional, mental, and 12
55	55		medical illnesses, difficulty forming and maintaining intimate relationships, alterations to 13
56	56		brain structure and function, and problematic or harmful sexual behaviors and addiction; 14
57	57		BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the public health 15
58	58		crisis created by the accessibility and pervasiveness of pornography; and be it 16
59	59		FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the need for 17
60	60		education, prevention, research, and changes in public policy to address the harms caused by 18
61	61		the accessibility and pervasiveness of pornography in communities in the state. 19