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The House voted Tuesday to look at the causes of child homelessness, and to study how best to address it.
Representatives voted 73-0 for HB283, and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
Rep. Robert Spendlove, R-Sandy, said his bill would ask a current state task force studying intergenerational poverty to address homelessness among children — and said little data exists now about the causes.
The bill also would allow using current cash assistance programs for the poor specifically to avoid homelessness for children.
"Currently, we have 620 children living in homelessness from 298 families in our state," Spendlove told the House. "Over the course of the year, about five times as many children will experience some form of homelessness in Utah."
He added, "Studies show homeless children are twice as likely to have learning disabilities; three times as likely to have emotional disturbance," he said. "Half of homeless children are held back for one grade, and 22 percent of homeless children are held back by multiple grades."
Lawmakers have made addressing homelessness one of the top goals for this year's Legislature.
— Lee Davidson