BILL ANALYSIS Ó ACR 24 Page 1 Date of Hearing: March 16, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES Richard Gordon, Chair ACR 24 (Chu) - As Introduced February 13, 2015 SUBJECT: Child Abuse Prevention Month. SUMMARY: Acknowledges the month of April 2015 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and encourages the people of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools during that month and throughout the year. Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative findings: 1)Child abuse and neglect continue to pose serious threats to our children, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, `85 children in California died as a result of child abuse and neglect in 2012. 2)Prevention of child abuse and neglect depends on the involvement of people throughout the community. Providing community-based prevention services to families is less costly than addressing the emotional and physical damage that can result from child abuse and neglect, including the costs of protective services, law enforcement, the judicial system, foster care, and the treatment of adults recovering from abuse as children. 3)California's children deserve to grow up in a safe and ACR 24 Page 2 nurturing environment free from fear, abuse, and neglect. Victims of child abuse, whether the abuse is physical, sexual, or emotional, or any combination of these, should have access to a safe place to live, appropriate medical care, and counseling or mental health services. 4)In recent years, child abuse prevention groups have organized Blue Ribbon Campaigns to increase public awareness and promote ways to prevent child abuse and neglect. Pinwheels are displayed to increase the awareness of child abuse and to focus on the positive message of preventing child abuse and neglect by supporting families and strengthening communities during Child Abuse Prevention Month. FISCAL EFFECT: None REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: Support None on file Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by:Nicole Willis / RLS. / (916) 319-2800 ACR 24 Page 3