Bill Text: CA ACR70 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 59-17-1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-05-31 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 69, Statutes of 2019. [ACR70 Detail]

Download: California-2019-ACR70-Chaptered.html

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Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 70

CHAPTER 69

Relative to Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month.

[ Filed with Secretary of State  May 31, 2019. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

ACR 70, Berman. Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month.

This measure would designate the month of May 2019 as Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month.

Digest Key

Fiscal Committee: NO  

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Bill Text

WHEREAS, Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer or other blood disorder, which can happen to anyone at any time; and

WHEREAS, Since 1987, when the United States Congress authorized the establishment of a national registry of volunteer bone marrow donors, the National Marrow Donor Program, now known as Be The Match, has facilitated more than 92,000 marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants; and

WHEREAS, Seventy percent of all patients who need a bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell, or cord blood transplant do not have a matched donor in their family and depend on the Be The Match Registry to find an unrelated donor or cord blood unit; and

WHEREAS, In order to ensure that all patients have an equal chance of finding a match regardless of ethnic background, Be The Match has a specific need to increase awareness among African Americans, Latinos, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Native Americans, and other underrepresented ethnic groups; and

WHEREAS, Given the current composition of the Be The Match Registry, the likelihood of finding a match for a patient in need of a transplant ranges from 23 to 77 percent, depending on the patient’s ethnic background; and

WHEREAS, California ranks first nationwide for patients searching for a match; and

WHEREAS, The cure for blood cancer is in the hands of Californians; and

WHEREAS, There is a need to enhance the understanding of how bone marrow donation delivers cures and to encourage Californians to join the Be The Match Registry; and

WHEREAS, The bone marrow donor registration process only takes a few minutes and requires a simple cheek swab; and

WHEREAS, There is a need to engage the public to increase diversity in the registry, with the goal of finding a matching donor for all patients to receive the transplant they need, when they need it; and

WHEREAS, Although Be The Match operates the world’s largest and most diverse registry of potential bone marrow donors, including more than 20 million potential donors and 295,000 cord blood units on the Be The Match Registry, this registry is not enough; and

WHEREAS, Regardless of background, socioeconomic status, age, ethnic ancestry, or location, Be The Match is committed to creating equal outcomes for all; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the month of May 2019 as Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month; and be it further

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