H.R. No. 1699
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Teen pregnancy is a serious and costly issue in the
state and nation, forever changing the lives of the young women and
men who experience this unplanned event; and
WHEREAS, Adolescent childbearing is linked to a host of
public health and social challenges; girls facing unplanned
pregnancy are less likely to access prenatal care, and as a
consequence are at an increased risk of delivering premature
infants and infants with low birth weight; teen mothers are also
more likely to drop out of high school and to experience poverty,
and their children more often suffer from economic, medical, and
behavioral problems compared to children of older parents; and
WHEREAS, On May 1, 2013, hundreds of thousands of teens
throughout the country are participating in the National Day to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy, a collaborative effort between the National
Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and numerous
educators, health sector leaders, elected officials, faith-based
groups, and other prominent organizations; the National Day has
proven a success year after year in challenging adolescents to
think about the consequences of engaging in sexual relations and to
make positive choices about their futures; and
WHEREAS, Although the teen birth rate has been declining in
recent years, Texas still has one of the highest teen pregnancy
rates in the nation, with a cost to taxpayers of more than $1
billion a year, and the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
provides means of addressing this matter of critical importance;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize May 1, 2013, as the National Day to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy and encourage Texans to participate in
related events and learn more about the facts associated with
adolescent pregnancy.
Howard
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1699 was adopted by the House on
May
1, 2013, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House