Bill Text: CA ACR171 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 171 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 46-18-1)

Status: (Passed) 2022-06-02 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 69, Statutes of 2022. [ACR171 Detail]

Download: California-2021-ACR171-Chaptered.html

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 171

CHAPTER 69

Relative to Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

[ Filed with Secretary of State June 01, 2022. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

ACR 171, Nazarian. Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

This measure would declare the month of April 2022 as Parkinson’s Awareness Month in California.

Fiscal Committee: NO

WHEREAS, Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disease and is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States; and

WHEREAS, There is inadequate data on the incidence and prevalence of Parkinson’s disease, but it is estimated to affect nearly 1,000,000 people in the United States, and that number is expected to more than double by 2040; and

WHEREAS, Parkinson’s disease is the 14th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

WHEREAS, There are millions of Americans who are caregivers, family members, and friends greatly impacted by Parkinson’s disease; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that Parkinson’s disease costs $58,000,000,000 per year, of which the federal government shoulders $29 billion, leaving American families to cover the remaining $29,000,000,000; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 1,600,000 people in the United States will be impacted by Parkinson’s disease by 2037, at an estimated economic burden of $80,000,000,000; and

WHEREAS, Over 115,000 people in California have Parkinson’s disease, costing the state $5,800,000,000 annually for direct and indirect health care costs; and

WHEREAS, The California Parkinson’s Disease Registry was created in 2017 through the state budget and became operational in 2018. The California Parkinson’s Disease Registry has become a model for the nation and the world as it collects patient information that can help improve our understanding and treatment of Parkinson’s disease; and

WHEREAS, Now expanded to include more data on related diseases, the California Neurodegenerative Disease Registry has collected over 300,000 electronic records and formed reporting partnerships with more than 500 reporting entities, including health groups like Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health, Scripps Health, and Stanford Health Care so that confidential patient data is automatically sent from the physician’s office to the state. After the data is processed by the State Department of Public Health, it is made available to research institutions in an effort to improve treatments and eventually find a cure for the disease; and

WHEREAS, Research suggests the cause of Parkinson’s disease is a combination of genetic and environmental factors, but the exact cause in most individuals is still unknown; and

WHEREAS, There currently is no objective diagnostic test or biomarker to diagnose Parkinson’s disease; and

WHEREAS, There is no known cure or drug to slow or halt the progression of the disease, and available treatments are limited in their ability to address patients’ medical needs and remain effective over time; and

WHEREAS, The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease vary from person to person and can include tremors, slowness of movement and rigidity, gait and balance difficulty, speech and swallowing disturbances, cognitive impairment and dementia, mood disorders, and a variety of other nonmotor symptoms; and

WHEREAS, Volunteers, researchers, caregivers, and medical professionals are working to improve the quality of life of people living with Parkinson’s disease and their families; and

WHEREAS, Increased research, education, and community support services are needed to find more effective treatments and to provide access to quality care to those living with the disease today; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes the month of April 2022 as Parkinson’s Awareness Month in California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.