Bill Text: CA ACR188 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: PTS Awareness Month.
Sponsorship: Broadly Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2016-08-16 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 129, Statutes of 2016. [ACR188 Detail]
Download: California-2015-ACR188-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: ACR 188 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 129
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 16, 2016
ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 11, 2016
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 23, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 23, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 16, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Melendez
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Gonzalez, Achadjian, Alejo, Travis
Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta,
Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Ch�vez, Chiu,
Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier,
Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gray, Grove, Hadley,
Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine,
Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina,
Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Rendon,
Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond,
Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Wood)
MAY 23, 2016
Relative to PTS Awareness Month.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 188, Melendez. PTS Awareness Month.
This measure would proclaim the month of June 2016 as PTS
Awareness Month.
WHEREAS, Throughout our nation's history, the men and women from
the State of California have served in the United States Armed Forces
to preserve our freedom, protect our security, and uphold our
democratic values; from the battles of the Civil War, through the
crucible of two world wars, through adversity in the Vietnam War and
to the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our men and women in
uniform have stood proudly in defense of the United States, the State
of California, and the cause of liberty; and
WHEREAS, Brave individuals who proudly serve in the Armed Forces
risk their lives for the freedom of every American and deserve every
possible resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, and
emotional health; and
WHEREAS, More than 2,000,000 individuals who proudly serve in the
Armed Forces have deployed overseas since September 11, 2001, and
have served in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq; and
WHEREAS, The Armed Forces has maintained a high operational tempo
since September 11, 2001, with many members of the Armed Forces
deploying overseas numerous times; and
WHEREAS, According to the California State Library, California has
approximately 1.9 million veterans. Most live in southern California
counties and are heavily clustered in Los Angeles County (323,431 in
2012), San Diego County (222,348 in 2012), and Orange County
(132,529 in 2012); and
WHEREAS, According to the California State Library, approximately
26 percent of veterans report having a disability, and 32 percent
indicate that their disability had interfered with them getting or
holding a job; and
WHEREAS, Veterans of the Armed Forces and veterans who served
after September 11, 2001, remain at high risk of post-traumatic
stress (PTS); and
WHEREAS, PTS considerably increases the risk of anxiety,
depression, drug- and alcohol-related disorders, and suicide,
especially if left untreated; and
WHEREAS, Many cases of PTS remain undiagnosed and unreported due
to a lack of awareness and education on PTS; and
WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs, 20 percent of veterans who served in Operations Iraqi
Freedom and Enduring Freedom have PTS in a given year, and 12 percent
of Gulf War Veterans have PTS in a given year; and
WHEREAS, Although the United States Department of Defense and the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs have made significant
advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of PTS, many
challenges remain; and
WHEREAS, The United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the
Secretary of Defense must continue to work to educate service
members, veterans, the families of service members and veterans, and
the public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of PTS; and
WHEREAS, It is important to all citizens of the State of
California that those who served our country in the military are
aware of the symptoms of PTS and are able to seek and receive help;
now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature supports our current and
former service members who are suffering from PTS by bringing
awareness to all Californians and proclaims the month of June 2016 as
PTS Awareness Month in the state; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
