Bill Text: IA HR102 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A resolution recognizing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Awareness Day.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-29 - Resolution filed, laid over under Rule 25. H.J. 164. [HR102 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-HR102-Introduced.html
House Resolution 102 - Introduced PAG LIN HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. BY OURTH 1 1 A Resolution recognizing Chronic Traumatic 1 2 Encephalopathy Awareness Day. 1 3 WHEREAS, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is 1 4 a progressive, degenerative brain disease that appears 1 5 in persons with a history of repetitive brain trauma 1 6 sustained over a period of years; and 1 7 WHEREAS, CTE was first described in 1928 by Dr. 1 8 Harrison Martland in a study published in the Journal 1 9 of the American Medical Association linking brain 1 10 injury and boxing; and 1 11 WHEREAS, it was not until 2002 that Dr. Bennet Omalu 1 12 discovered the first pathological evidence of CTE in 1 13 a professional football player and, together with his 1 14 colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, published 1 15 the details of his groundbreaking findings in 2005; and 1 16 WHEREAS, CTE is caused by a buildup of an abnormal 1 17 protein called tau in the brain leading to brain cell 1 18 death; and 1 19 WHEREAS, the risk of developing CTE is greatest with 1 20 athletes, military veterans, and domestic violence 1 21 survivors, who frequently endure repeated subconcussive 1 22 blows to the head from playing contact sports or suffer 1 23 traumatic injury from military training or blasting or 1 24 hits sustained by partners or caretakers; and it also 1 25 appears in those with epilepsy; and 1 26 WHEREAS, symptoms associated with CTE, such as 1 27 sleep disturbances, memory loss, tremors, addictions, 1 28 progressive dementia, depression, suicidal thoughts, 2 1 impaired judgment, and paranoia, most often present 2 2 years or decades after the brain trauma or hits cease, 2 3 but have been found in a patient as young as 17 years 2 4 old; and 2 5 WHEREAS, currently, CTE can only be definitively 2 6 diagnosed after death through postmortem 2 7 neuropathological analysis; and 2 8 WHEREAS, advocacy organizations, health care 2 9 providers, and institutional researchers are dedicated 2 10 to studying the cause and symptoms of CTE in order to 2 11 enable parents and families to make informed decisions 2 12 regarding the best interests of their children in 2 13 youth sports and to develop an earlier diagnostic tool 2 14 so patients may address these symptoms as early as 2 15 possible; and 2 16 WHEREAS, one such advocacy organization is CTE Hope, 2 17 founded as a statewide advocacy and education support 2 18 group by family and friends of Zac Easter of Indianola, 2 19 Iowa, who suffered from CTE after multiple concussions 2 20 and subconcussive hits playing youth and high school 2 21 football from age 6 to 18, served our country in the 2 22 Iowa Army National Guard, and was a victim of a car 2 23 accident; and 2 24 WHEREAS, the mission of CTE Hope is to put a face on 2 25 this mind=robbing disease, and to educate the public 2 26 that it does not only impact professional athletes, but 2 27 children and nonathletes as well; and 2 28 WHEREAS, CTE Hope also endeavors to further research 2 29 on this devastating brain disease, with CTE Hope's 2 30 initial research in Iowa confirming that saliva testing 3 1 provides real=time indicators of inflammatory proteins 3 2 in the brain that cause CTE; and 3 3 WHEREAS, CTE Hope founded CTE Awareness Day and 3 4 now along with other organizations will celebrate CTE 3 5 Awareness Day across the United States on January 30, 3 6 2018, in order to reflect on those lost to CTE, to help 3 7 those suffering with the disease, and most importantly 3 8 to stop the disease; NOW THEREFORE, 3 9 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, That 3 10 the House of Representatives recognizes January 30, 3 11 2018, as CTE Awareness Day in Iowa. LSB 5847HH (2) 87 je/rj
