Bill Text: NY K02443 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim November 2024, as Epilepsy Awareness Month in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-06-06 - adopted [K02443 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-K02443-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 2443

BY: M. of A. Rules (McDonald)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        November 2024, as Epilepsy Awareness  Month  in  the
        State of New York

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of this Legislative Body to recognize
official months dedicated to raising  awareness  of  serious  conditions
impacting the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long- standing traditions, this Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim November 2024, as Epilepsy
Awareness  Month  in  the  State  of  New  York, in conjunction with the
observance of National Epilepsy Awareness Month; and

  WHEREAS,  Epilepsy  is  a  neurological  disorder  characterized  by
seizures  that  consist  of sudden and synchronized bursts of electrical
energy that disrupt the brain's  normal  electrical  pattern;  it  is  a
spectrum  condition  with a wide range of seizure types and control that
varies from person to person; and

  WHEREAS,  These  seizures  may  impact  consciousness,  movement  or
sensation, and create long-term effects on the lifestyles of individuals
with epilepsy; and

  WHEREAS,  Approximately  one-third  of  epilepsy  patients live with
uncontrolled seizures due to a lack  of  suitable  clinically  available
treatment; and

  WHEREAS,  The  Centers  for Disease Control and Prevention estimates
that epilepsy impacts roughly  3.4  million  Americans  and  50  million
people worldwide; 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy and approximately
50,000 people will die from an epilepsy-related cause; and

  WHEREAS,  Epilepsy  affects  more  people  than  multiple sclerosis,
cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy  and  Parkinson's  combined;  in  the
United  States,  200,000  new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each year;
and

  WHEREAS, While anyone can develop epilepsy at any age,  some  common
risk  factors  include  babies  who are born small for their age or with
abnormal areas in the brain, babies who have seizures in the first month
of their life, and people with serious brain injury or lack of oxygen to
the brain, brain tumors, infections of the brain, cerebral palsy, family
history of seizures, Alzheimer's disease (late in the  illness),  Autism
spectrum  disorder,  use  of  cocaine,  or  strokes  resulting  from the
blockage of arteries; and

  WHEREAS,  In  the  United  States,  epilepsy  affects  approximately
470,000 children 17 years or younger, and approximately 3 million adults
aged 18 and up have epilepsy; and

  WHEREAS,  More  than  570,000  adults  aged  65  and  older have the
condition, as the number of epilepsy cases in the elderly is  increasing
with the baby boom generation reaching retirement age; and

  WHEREAS, It costs the United States approximately $15.5 billion each
year in caring for and treating epilepsy; and

  WHEREAS,  While medications and other treatments help many people of
all ages who live with epilepsy, more than a million people continue  to
have  seizures  that  can  severely  limit  their  school  achievements,
employment prospects and participation in all of life's experiences; and

  WHEREAS, Even with the roughly 150,000 new cases of epilepsy in  the
United  States  each  year,  epilepsy  continues  to  be  one  of  least
understood major chronic medical conditions; thus, it is the hope that a
month of awareness in New York State and beyond will  make  for  greater
public  awareness  and  increase  the  activity  at the local, state and
national level; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim November 2024, as Epilepsy
Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York; and the Epilepsy Foundation.