BILL NUMBER: ACR 64	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ma
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Brownley, Eng, Evans, Fong, Lieu,
Monning, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Torlakson, Torrico, and Yamada)

                        APRIL 20, 2009

   Relative to Hepatitis B Awareness Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 64, as introduced, Ma. Hepatitis B.
   This measure would declare May 2009, to be Hepatitis B Awareness
Month in California, declare the Legislature's support of the goals
and ideals of World Hepatitis Awareness Day, and call on all
interested parties to come together to raise awareness and educate
the public on hepatitis B and to make recommendations on ways to
implement best practices in hepatitis B prevention and treatment.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, May 19, 2009, is World Hepatitis Awareness Day; and
   WHEREAS, California does not currently have a comprehensive
statewide plan addressing the prevention and treatment of chronic
hepatitis B for all Californians; and
   WHEREAS, Chronic hepatitis B is a condition that affects the human
liver, and when left untreated, can lead to further complications,
including cirrhosis, liver cancer, and ultimately, liver failure and
death; and
   WHEREAS, Chronic hepatitis B infection is among the top three
causes of cancer in the world and causes the death of one person
every 30 seconds; and
   WHEREAS, In the United States, it is estimated that up to 2
million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B; and
   WHEREAS, More than 400,000 Californians are chronically infected
with hepatitis B; and
   WHEREAS, Chronic hepatitis B disproportionately affects certain
communities of color. For example, chronic hepatitis B and liver
cancer are the greatest health disparity for Asians and Pacific
Islanders; and
   WHEREAS, Asians and Pacific Islanders comprise 13 percent of the
population of Los Angeles County and suffer from a rate of liver
cancer more than triple than that of non-Hispanic whites; and
   WHEREAS, San Francisco has the highest proportion of Asian and
Pacific Islander populations in the continental United States and
correspondingly, has the highest rate of liver cancer in the nation;
and,
   WHEREAS, Chronic hepatitis B is preventable and in many cases can
be cured or managed using currently available treatments; and
   WHEREAS, But for many reasons, those at risk for hepatitis B
infection are not receiving prevention information, while those
chronically infected are not receiving treatment; and
   WHEREAS, Given that chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong condition,
some who are at risk refuse to be tested out of fear that a positive
diagnosis will be considered as a permanent, preexisting condition
for health care insurance underwriting purposes and will thereby put
their future health care coverage at risk, especially if laid off and
rehired by a second employer; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares May 2009, to be
Hepatitis B Awareness Month in California and supports the goals and
ideals of World Hepatitis Awareness Day; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature calls on all interested parties,
including, but not limited to, the public and private sector,
for-profit sector, the private nonprofit sector, and the
philanthropic community to come together to raise awareness and
educate the public on hepatitis B and to make recommendations on ways
to implement best practices in hepatitis B prevention and treatment;
and be it further,
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.