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91_HR0366
LRB9106681CBcbB
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The Internet can be an educational and
3 entertainment medium, it can also pose great hazards to
4 children by providing inappropriate access to certain
5 materials and people that they would be prohibited from
6 encountering; and
7 WHEREAS, Estimates show that in May 1997, nearly 10
8 million children were online either at home, at school, or in
9 the community - a five fold increase from fall, 1995; and
10 WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 45 million
11 children will be online by the year 2002, and since the
12 establishment of the "CyberTipline" program, that program has
13 received more than 7,000 reports of online enticement and
14 transmission of sexually explicit images, many resulting in
15 arrests; and
16 WHEREAS, For the 50 million children now in United States
17 elementary and secondary schools, 27% of classrooms have
18 Internet access and 78% of schools have some kind of access
19 to the Internet; and
20 WHEREAS, Just as there are people intent on harming our
21 children at the playground, now there are people intent on
22 harming our children through the Internet in chat rooms by
23 providing access to the sale of illegal ammunition and
24 weapons and exposing children to hateful propaganda; and
25 WHEREAS, As parents, teachers, and mentors, we must
26 protect our children from information that can harm them and
27 prohibit access to information that would show them how to
28 harm others; and
29 WHEREAS, It is often possible for someone with the right
30 tools and expertise to figure out where a transmission is
31 coming from, and sometimes where the sender is located; and
-2- LRB9106681CBcbB
1 WHEREAS, Rating systems have been developed for movies,
2 television, and other materials; therefore, be it
3 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
5 there be created a task force to study the establishment of a
6 website rating system to provide parents and teachers with
7 the information necessary to make informed decisions
8 concerning the Internet materials viewed and utilized by
9 children; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That the task force shall consist of the
11 Chairperson and Spokesperson from the House Committee on
12 Judiciary-1 (Civil Law); the Chairperson and Spokesperson
13 from the House Committee on Computer Technology; four
14 appointments each by the Speaker of the House and the House
15 Minority Leader, who shall be either representatives of the
16 school community or parents with school-age children; the
17 Superintendent of the State Board of Education; the Attorney
18 General or his designee; the Governor or his designee; and
19 two additional appointments made by the Governor of persons
20 who shall have training in child psychology with emphasis or
21 training on Internet crimes; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That the task force shall report its findings
23 by January 1, 2000 to the Governor, the Illinois General
24 Assembly, the Illinois Attorney General, the Illinois
25 delegates of the United States Congress, and the Federal
26 Communications Commission; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
28 forwarded to the Governor and the Attorney General.