1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 750
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas recognizes the
 1-4     vital importance of ensuring the health and well-being of
 1-5     newborn Texans and wishes to declare the week of February 4
 1-6     through February 10, 2002, as Texas Newborn Babies Week; and
 1-7           WHEREAS, Proper health care during infancy is important to
 1-8     an individual's long-term health, and it is of critical importance
 1-9     that the Texas public have proper access to perinatal and infant
1-10     care; and
1-11           WHEREAS, In 1990, the Center for Disease Control and
1-12     Prevention introduced a set of 18 Health Status Indicators;
1-13     several are related directly to maternal and infant health,
1-14     including infant mortality rate, low-birth weight, adolescent
1-15     births, availability of prenatal care, and childhood poverty; and
1-16           WHEREAS, The current infant mortality rate in Texas is 6.4
1-17     deaths per 1,000 live births, which is only slightly below the
1-18     national average, and Texas public health regions one through
1-19     six rank first in the nation for infant mortality; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Adolescent mothers and their babies are more likely
1-21     to experience barriers to health care, and the Texas birth rate for
 2-1     mothers less than 18 years of age more than doubled from 1992 to
 2-2     1997, making it the state with the ninth highest adolescent birth
 2-3     rate; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Texas ranks second in the nation in the percentage
 2-5     of women not receiving prenatal care in the first trimester, a
 2-6     critical period in an infant's development; the state also ranks
 2-7     above the national average for number of children who live in homes
 2-8     with an income below the national poverty level; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, Texas Newborn Babies Week will help focus the
2-10     public's attention on both the importance of prenatal and infant
2-11     health care, and the need for improved access to health services
2-12     for expectant and new mothers; and
2-13           WHEREAS, The week will also serve to educate the public on
2-14     such infant health risks as Shaken Baby Syndrome and Sudden Infant
2-15     Death Syndrome and to increase awareness of the importance of
2-16     childhood immunizations; and
2-17           WHEREAS, By educating the public on the need and availability
2-18     of prenatal care, Texas Newborn Babies Week will help ensure the
2-19     health of the youngest Texas citizens; now, therefore, be it
2-20           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-21     77th Legislature, hereby designate the week of February 4
2-22     through February 10, 2002, as Texas Newborn Babies Week and
2-23     extend best wishes to those organizing this campaign; and,
 3-1     be it further
 3-2           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
 3-3     honor of this vital public health initiative. 
 3-4                                                               Wentworth
 3-5                                                               Zaffirini
 3-6                                  ______________________________________
 3-7                                          President of the Senate
 3-8                                       I hereby certify that the above
 3-9                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-10                                  on April 18, 2001.
3-11                                  ______________________________________
3-12                                          Secretary of the Senate
3-13                                  ______________________________________
3-14                                           Member, Texas Senate
3-15                                  ______________________________________
3-16                                           Member, Texas Senate