House Concurrent Resolution 19

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RANKINGS AND ENCOURAGING MISSISSIPPI AGENCIES, AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES TO TAKE CRITICAL AND FUNDAMENTAL ACTIONS TO IMPROVE MISSISSIPPI'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RANKINGS.

WHEREAS, Mississippi ranked 1st in the percentage of the states' populations in poverty; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in per capita personal income; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in gross state product per capita; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 1st in the percentage of workforce who is unemployed; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 49th in the percentage of the working age population participating in the workforce; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 48th in the average annual pay; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 45th in the average annual pay in retailing jobs; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 47th in the average annual pay in manufacturing jobs; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in the average annual salaries of government employees; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in the number of patents issued per 100,000 population; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 48th in the percentage of the population 25 years of age and older with a high school diploma; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 25th out of 25 states in the average score for the American College Testing Program (ACT) test; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in the average score for the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT); and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 1st in the percentage of children in poverty; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 49th in the percentage of 8th graders who scored proficient in math; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 47th in the percentage of 8th graders who scored proficient in reading; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 46th in spending per pupil in public K-l2 schools; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in public library spending; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 1st in the percentage of births to unwed mothers; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked lst in the percentage of births to unwed teen mothers; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 2nd in the percentage of families with children headed by a single parent; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 3rd in the percentage of infant deaths per 1000 live births; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 49th in the State Health Index; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked lst in the percentage of the population that is obese; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 4th in the percentage of the population on Medicaid; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 5th in the percentage of the population on food stamps; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 2nd in the percentage of the population in the Supplemental Security Income program; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 2nd in the percentage of the school children participating in the National School Lunch Program; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in the Condition of Children Index; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in the Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Index; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in the percentage of households with computers; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 50th in the percentage of households with internet access; and

WHEREAS, the state ranked 49th in the New Economy Index; and

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi recognizes that improving the economic and social rankings will require a focused, coordinated effort to improve its rankings:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE

CONCURRING THEREIN, That the State of Mississippi supports greater, coordinated, collaborative efforts to improve the state's economic and social rankings, and it declares that reducing the number of people in poverty is the most important effort in the quest to improve its economic and social rankings, and the state calls for and encourages all state agencies and public and private entities to focus on coordinated and collaborative efforts to help eradicate the number of Mississippians in poverty.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the heads of all state agencies, major public and private entities, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.