Poverty measures pass the House

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill aimed at children victimized by intergenerational poverty is headed to the governor’s desk for consideration.

SB 53, sponsored by Sen. Stuart Reid, R-Ogden, was approved unanimously by the House on Thursday. It is the second phase of an effort initiated by Reid last year to look for potential solutions to poverty among children.

The bill calls for five state agencies to work cooperatively, and the formation of a commission and advisory group that will review data about the estimated 50,000 to 70,000 kids caught in the welfare/poverty cycle and will then suggest possible interventions.

Reid said there are differences in situational poverty and intergenerational poverty. Current mechanisms focus on fixing the problem through the parents, he said, but children will be the focus of the new emphasis.