Bill Text: CA ACR67 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 67

Bill Title: Stronger Starts for Children Day.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 52-15)

Status: (Passed) 2025-06-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 96, Statutes of 2025. [ACR67 Detail]

Download: California-2025-ACR67-Chaptered.html

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 67

CHAPTER 96

Relative to Stronger Starts for Children Day.

[ Filed with Secretary of State June 25, 2025. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

ACR 67, Sharp-Collins. Stronger Starts for Children Day.

This measure would declare May 10, 2025, as Stronger Starts for Children Day in California.

Fiscal Committee: NO

WHEREAS, For the last 25 years, First 5 California’s focus has been to help children 0 to five years of age receive the best start in life by advancing trauma-informed, healing-centered, and culturally responsive care systems; and

WHEREAS, In partnership with 58 county commissions in California, First 5 California’s goal is that within one generation, all children will have access to safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments to achieve healthy development; and

WHEREAS, Stronger Starts is a First 5 California campaign launched on June 1, 2023, that aims to educate California parents about the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress response (TSR) in young children; and

WHEREAS, ACEs are severe adversities experienced by children when prenatal through 18 years of age, ranging from household dysfunction through systemic issues, such as abuse, neglect, loss of a parent, lack of food or shelter, racism, bullying, witnessing violence, or other harsh experiences that can result in childhood trauma; and

WHEREAS, Toxic stress response is what occurs in children when they are affected by ACEs and has a long-term impact on their health and wellness, including high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, anxiety, depression, and developmental delays; and

WHEREAS, ACEs and toxic stress severely impact a child’s development when prenatal through five years old, when 90 percent of the brain is developing and one million neural pathways are forming every second; and

WHEREAS, In California, nearly two million children are impacted by ACEs, putting them at risk for health, behavioral, and learning problems; and

WHEREAS, Young children who are continuously exposed to ACEs without adequate buffering protections, particularly during the critical periods of early development, can develop a biological effect, known as toxic stress response; and

WHEREAS, According to a recent survey, a remarkable 87 to 93 percent of caregivers intend to take action to manage toxic stress in themselves and their children, a vital precursor to long-term behavior change upon receiving information via the Stronger Starts campaign; and

WHEREAS, ACEs and toxic stress can be prevented by creating and sustaining safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments (SSNREs) for children; and

WHEREAS, The State of California could save upwards of $1.5 billion in annual health costs if more parents and caregivers were made aware of ACEs and TSR in children; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares May 10, 2025, as Stronger Starts for Children Day in California and commits itself to the advancement of health and well-being for all children and families through First 5 California’s Stronger Starts campaign; and be it further

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