HR 414 — A Resolution recognizing the week of May 9 through 15, 2026, as "National Stuttering Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.    2865

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 414
                                              Session of
                                                2026

     INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, VENKAT, PIELLI, HILL-EVANS, SHUSTERMAN,
        PASHINSKI, SANCHEZ, FREEMAN, SCHLOSSBERG, CONKLIN, PROBST,
        MAYES, POWELL, GUZMAN, HADDOCK, McNEILL, WAXMAN, RIVERA,
        NEILSON, D. WILLIAMS AND O'MARA, FEBRUARY 3, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, FEBRUARY 4, 2026


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Recognizing the week of May 9 through 15, 2026, as "National
 2      Stuttering Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, The National Stuttering Association celebrates
 4   "National Stuttering Awareness Week" annually the second week of
 5   May to reach the thousands of people who stutter, and as a
 6   result feel alone and isolated, and spread knowledge about
 7   stuttering; and
 8      WHEREAS, Stuttering is a speech disorder in which sounds,
 9   syllables or words are repeated and may be accompanied by rapid
10   blinking, lip tremors, speech blocks and interjections, making
11   it difficult to communicate; and
12      WHEREAS, Stuttering, also referred to as stammering or
13   disfluent speech, is a genetically influenced condition that can
14   develop in duration or appear suddenly, with symptoms varying
15   over time; and
16      WHEREAS, The most common form of stuttering, developmental
17   stuttering, occurs early during speech and language learning,
 1   but strokes or head or brain injuries may result in neurogenic
 2   stuttering; and
 3         WHEREAS, There are many harmful and incorrect myths about the
 4   causes of stuttering, including that it is the result of
 5   shyness, nervousness, self-consciousness, lower intelligence,
 6   less capability, emotional trauma or bad parenting; and
 7         WHEREAS, Approximately 1% of the adult population stutters,
 8   in every nation and language, equating to about 3 million
 9   Americans and 130,000 Pennsylvanians; and
10         WHEREAS, Adult males are approximately four times more likely
11   to stutter than adult females, and male children are two times
12   more likely to stutter than female children; and
13         WHEREAS, Usually beginning between the ages of two to five
14   years, approximately 5% of children go through a period of
15   stuttering; and
16         WHEREAS, Eighty percent of children who stutter stop by
17   school age; and
18         WHEREAS, For people who stutter, the lost control of their
19   speech mechanism is not the biggest priority, but it may have an
20   impact on their quality of life and interpersonal relationships;
21   and
22         WHEREAS, Children who stutter are at a higher risk of
23   bullying, which may lead to avoiding speaking or altering their
24   communication style, causing further psychological distress or
25   unnecessary tension; and
26         WHEREAS, Individuals who stutter may be referred to speech-
27   language pathologists to help bolster confidence and
28   communication by focusing speech therapy on a place of
29   destigmatization; and
30         WHEREAS, It is also important that school personnel be

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1   trained in working with students who stutter, and students who
2   stutter should be given the tools to express their feelings and
3   experiences; therefore be it
4      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
5   week of May 9 through 15, 2026, as "National Stuttering
6   Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.




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