Bill Text: NY J02684 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognizing May 5, 2020, as World Asthma Day
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-01-28 - ADOPTED [J02684 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-J02684-Introduced.html
Senate Resolution No. 2684 BY: Senator RIVERA RECOGNIZING May 5, 2020, as World Asthma Day WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official months and days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to recognize May 5, 2020, as World Asthma Day; and WHEREAS, Asthma is a common chronic disease that affects people of all ages in all parts of the world; it is a cause of substantial burden of disease, including both premature death and reduced quality of life in people of all ages; and WHEREAS, A potentially deadly disease, Asthma causes swelling of the airways which results in narrowing of the airways that carry air from the nose and mouth to the lungs; allergens or irritating things entering the lungs trigger Asthma symptoms, including trouble breathing, wheezing, coughing and tightness in the chest; and WHEREAS, Globally, Asthma is marked 16th among the leading causes of years lived with disability, and 28th among the leading causes of burden of disease; and WHEREAS, Asthma affects an estimated 339 million people worldwide; according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1 in 13 people have Asthma; and WHEREAS, More than 25 million Americans have Asthma; this is approximately 7.7% of adults and 8.4% of children; Asthma rates have continued to increase since the 1980s, in all age, sex and racial groups; it is more common in adult women than adult men, and is the leading chronic disease in children; and WHEREAS, Currently, there are 6.2 million children under the age of 18 with Asthma; in 2017, 1 in 12 children had the disease; and WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are over a million New Yorkers suffering from Asthma, a rate higher than those of states like California, Florida and Texas which have larger populations; and WHEREAS, The United States Environmental Protection Agency released information classifying New York as the state with the dirtiest air in the nation; yet school districts and municipal transportation systems continue to use diesel-fuel burning vehicles that exacerbate the situation by increasing pollution levels; and WHEREAS, With over 50,000 school buses transporting over two million school-age children daily throughout the State, it is easy to see how such decisions in aggregate are part of the negligence and neglect that negatively impacts all our lives; and WHEREAS, Given that children often ride the school bus every day for many years, this type of exposure accumulates, translating into an unacceptably high risk of developing cancer and respiratory diseases later in life; and WHEREAS, Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness and is the second most significant respiratory condition as a cause of home confinement for adults; each year, Asthma causes more than 18 million days of restricted activity, and millions of visits to physicians' offices and emergency rooms; and WHEREAS, The documented increases in air pollution in New York City combined with the proximity of school buildings to diesel-fuel burning bus depots, major highways, waste transfer stations and industrial parks are increasing the levels of Asthma to epidemic proportions; and WHEREAS, It is understood that we cannot immediately remove all the causes of air pollution from around our schools and communities, but we can still reduce the impact of this disease on children by lowering their exposure to illness causes and disease aggravating pollutants such as diesel-fuel burning buses and their toxic emissions; and WHEREAS, The Asthma epidemic facing our communities in New York State and around the world is a health care issue that can no longer be ignored; it is imperative that we focus on this matter, especially with its disproportionate impact on minorities, children, and the impoverished; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to recognize May 5, 2020, as World Asthma Day; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the American Lung Association.