HLS 11RS-104 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 12
BY REPRESENTATIVE TIM BURNS
CHILDREN: Provides with respect to childhood addiction to pornography
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Louisiana State Law Institute to appoint and convene a task force2
to evaluate Louisiana's existing laws, programs, and services that address childhood3
addiction to pornography, and to report its findings and recommendations for4
additional steps necessary to further address this issue to the Legislature of5
Louisiana.6
WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana has recognized the need for intervention7
in the lives of children to help provide them with safe, healthy, successful, and productive8
lives; and9
WHEREAS, the Internet provides a constant, ever-changing source of information10
and entertainment, where email, blogs, social networks, and message boards allow for both11
public and anonymous communication about any topic; and12
WHEREAS, according to statistics published by Family Safe Media, in 2006, there13
were over four million pornographic websites, which is twelve percent of the total number14
of websites available on the Internet; and15
WHEREAS, approximately twenty-five percent of daily search engine requests16
involve searches for pornographic material, over forty-two percent of Internet users are17
viewing pornographic material, and thirty-four percent of Internet users have received18
unwanted exposure to sexual material through the Internet; and19 HLS 11RS-104 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 12
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WHEREAS, the average child sees his first pornographic image at the age of eleven,1
and according to researchers, about ninety percent of children between the ages of eight and2
sixteen have viewed pornography; and3
WHEREAS, children with significant exposure to sexuality in the media were shown4
to be significantly more likely to have had intercourse at ages fourteen to sixteen, and such5
exposure has been shown to lead to physical sexuality, an increase in the spread of sexual6
diseases, and an increase of unwanted pregnancies by young children; and7
WHEREAS, neurological studies, including brain scans, of children who have8
become addicted to Internet pornography has revealed that the physiological changes in the9
brain of a pornography addict closely resemble those who are addicted to alcohol and drugs,10
and that this addiction has an especially deep impact on children between the ages of eight11
and twelve whose brains are still developing; and12
WHEREAS, a study published in The Journal of Sex Research found that children13
under the age of fourteen years who are habitually exposed to pornographic material have14
an increased likelihood of becoming sexual predators, especially rapists; and among child15
molesters, research found that fifty-three percent used pornography as a prelude to their16
molestation; and17
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature has recognized the devastating impact of18
childhood addiction to pornography and has recognized the important need to evaluate19
Louisiana's current ability to address this issue and to revise current measures and implement20
new measures to properly address this growing issue; and21
WHEREAS, in conducting this evaluation, it is necessary that the Louisiana State22
Law Institute appoint and convene a task force composed of representatives of each of the23
following: the Department of Children and Family Services; the Children's Cabinet; the24
Governor's Advisory Board of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Louisiana25
Commission on Addictive Disorders; the Department of Education; the Department of26
Health and Hospitals, office of behavioral health; the Louisiana Information Technology27
Board; the Juvenile Justice Reform Act Implementation Commission; the Children's Code28
Committee of the Louisiana State Law Institute; the Criminal Code Committee of the29 HLS 11RS-104 ORIGINAL
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Louisiana State Law Institute; the Louisiana District Attorneys Association; the Louisiana1
Public Defender Board; the Louisiana Sheriff's Association; the Department of Public Safety2
and Corrections, office of juvenile justice; the Louisiana Commission on Marriage and3
Family; the Louisiana House of Representatives; the Louisiana State Senate; and any other4
entity concerned with the well-being of children in this state.5
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby6
urge and request the Louisiana State Law Institute to appoint and convene a task force to7
evaluate Louisiana's existing laws, programs, and services that address childhood addiction8
to pornography, and to report its findings and recommendations for additional steps9
necessary to further address this issue to the Legislature of Louisiana.10
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana State Law Institute report its11
findings and recommendations to the Legislature of Louisiana no later than January 1, 2013.12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the13
Louisiana State Law Institute. 14
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Tim Burns HCR No. 12
Requests the La. State Law Institute to evaluate La.'s current ability to appoint and convene
a task force to evaluate existing laws, programs, and services that address childhood
addiction to pornography, and to report its findings and recommendations for additional
steps necessary to further address this issue to the legislature prior to Jan. 1, 2003.