Reps. Hart, Jamnick, Ehardt, Gillard, DeRossett, Lipsey, Kooiman, Shaffer and Murphy offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 28.

            A resolution to urge the Governor to create a commission on student backpack safety.

            Whereas, The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission cites that in 1999, more than 3,400 pupils between the ages of 5 and 14 sought treatment in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to backpacks and book bags.  Overall, 7,000 people sought treatment in hospital emergency rooms for backpack-related injuries; and

            Whereas, The American Chiropractic Association states that a child’s backpack should weigh no more than 10 percent of his or her body weight.  The average weight of a child’s backpack is 20 pounds, which is much higher than 10 percent of the average weight of a 14-year-old child, which is approximately 123 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

            Whereas, The New Jersey State Bar Foundation cites the organization Backpack Safety America in saying that over the course of a 180-day school year, a student could carry as much as 21,600 pounds, which is equivalent to carrying six full-sized automobiles; and

            Whereas, A 1999 survey conducted by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons found that more than 70 percent of orthopedic surgeons indicated that backpacks can become a clinical problem in school-age children if not enough attention is given to keeping the weight of the backpacks within reasonable levels.  The same study revealed that 58 percent of the orthopedists polled reported seeing kids with back or shoulder pain related to backpacks; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the Governor to appoint a commission on backpack safety for the purpose of studying the effects of heavy backpacks on the children of Michigan, and how to best address any present or imminent problems presented by excessive backpack weight; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the Governor.