Two New Jersey state Republican lawmakers successfully co-sponsored and passed a teen suicide prevention bill, which GOP Governor Chris Christie signed Monday. Yes, you read that right, three Republicans led the way for a teen suicide bill to become law. No one can dispute that Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers teen whose suicide shocked the nation, played a role.
“It’s obviously a very difficult topic to talk about, but suicide remains one of the top causes of death for teens and young adults,” said Republican Senator Sean T. Kean, the bill’s leading cosponsor, who, along with Dave Rible, ushered the legislation through both Houses.
Sadly, what’s clearly lacking in the bill, based upon its published proposal, are clearly defined resources to assist those most at-risk, namely, LGBTQ youth and teens, who, unfortunately, because of living in conservative environments, are far far greater risk of attempting suicide.
The bill is purposed to prevent teen suicide, consolidate and co-ordinate resources, and raise awareness of teen suicide, nationally the third leading cause of teen death in America. Reports stated that 60% of calls to suicide prevention centers from New Jersey teens were made to out-of-state organizations. The bill aims to reconcile that.
“According to the latest figures available from the New Jersey Violent Deaths Reporting System, from 2007 through 2009, there were 218 suicides by people ages 10 to 24. The Centers for Disease Control reports that, nationally, suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people between 15 and 24. Only car accidents and homicides claim more lives in that age group,” reports the Asbury Park Press.
If Republicans gat get together to try to make life safer for teens, perhaps they can get together and try to pass their same-sex marriage bill?
Every Republican and Democratic lawmaker in every other state should look at this and recognize that they have a responsibility to protect America’s youth, first and foremost.