08 LC 35
0693
House
Resolution 1040
By:
Representatives Day of the
163rd,
Casas of the
103rd,
Neal of the
1st,
and Horne of the
71st
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Joint Study Committee on Emergency Response and Preparedness Curriculum for
Georgia High Schools; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
today´s students are tomorrow´s leaders and the future protectors of
America´s freedom; and
WHEREAS,
in order to better serve as effective national and local leaders and ensure the
safety and security of our country, high school students should be provided a
basic understanding of the major threats facing the nation today, including
terrorism, bioterrorism, and other forms of large-scale public safety threats
and emergencies caused by natural or manmade disaster; and
WHEREAS,
a basic understanding of national security threats includes both a historical
perspective as well as an up-to-date situational analysis, and students should
be instructed regarding such issues as the historical development of terrorism,
contributing factors to the growth of terrorism, and prior responses to
large-scale public safety threats; as for the current status of serious
large-scale public safety threats, students should be provided a basic
understanding of operational response policies and plans, available response
resources, and current risk assessments of the potentially greatest threats
posed against American citizens; and
WHEREAS,
terrorism is becoming an increasingly difficult problem in the world of the
early twenty-first century, and our children are affected, directly and
indirectly, by both massive and small-scale acts of terrorism; and
WHEREAS,
to preserve and strengthen the foundations of freedom, our children should be
provided a basis from which to research, openly debate, and ultimately respond
to a variety of social, cultural, and political issues in both the domestic and
international spheres, and such research, debate, and preparedness necessarily
includes education regarding the history and modern day preparedness related to
terrorism and large-scale public safety threats; and
WHEREAS,
despite the significance of terrorism and large-scale emergencies facing this
state and nation, schools do not typically provide, either through history,
social studies, or health classes, any curriculum relating to these historical
and social occurrences; and
WHEREAS,
a quality education in Georgia should include a historical understanding of
serious public safety threats and prepare students to evaluate these important
life-threatening issues; and
WHEREAS,
currently there are no standardized guidelines for emergency response and
preparedness curricula.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is
created the Joint Study Committee on Emergency Response and Preparedness
Curriculum for Georgia High Schools to be composed of three members of the House
of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, three members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of
the Senate, and three members of the executive branch to be appointed by the
Governor. Additional members of the committee shall include the Chairpersons
for the House Public Safety and Homeland Security and the House Education
standing committees and the Chairpersons for the Senate Public Safety and
Homeland Security and the Senate Education and Youth standing committees. The
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
and the President of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate who shall
serve as cochairpersons of the committee. The committee shall meet at the call
of the cochairpersons. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places
and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to
exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish
the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The legislative members of the
committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of
the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Funds necessary to carry out the
provisions of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to the
Senate and the House of Representatives. The expenses and allowances authorized
by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more
than five days unless additional days are authorized.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the need for
emergency response and preparedness curriculum for Georgia high schools. The
study shall include recommendations for developing a model curriculum for all
high schools receiving state funds, as well as guidelines for implementing the
curriculum in Georgia´s high schools. In fulfilling its duties, the
committee shall consult with such individuals and organizations as it deems
appropriate.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a study report, containing findings and recommendations
for emergency response and preparedness curriculum for Georgia high schools,
including suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, as well as pilot project
guidelines, shall be issued on or before December 1, 2008. The committee shall
stand abolished on January 1, 2009.