California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 64


Introduced by Assembly Member Santiago

May 5, 2015


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 64—Relative to Asthma Awareness Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 64, as introduced, Santiago. Asthma Awareness Month.

This measure would designate the month of May 2015 as Asthma Awareness Month in order to increase awareness and understanding about asthma and educate those with the disease on the treatments available and the methods of preventing attacks.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, Approximately five million Californians have been
2diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives, and almost
3three million currently have asthma; and

4WHEREAS, Asthma is responsible for approximately 400
5deaths, 35,000 hospital discharges, and 180,000 emergency
6department visits annually in California; and

7WHEREAS, Lifetime and current asthma prevalence is highest
8among children 5 to 17 years of age and about 30 percent higher
9than among adults; and

10WHEREAS, Asthma prevalence is higher among African
11Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Puerto Ricans,
12European Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos; and

13WHEREAS, Although people of all incomes have similar asthma
14prevalence, people with lower incomes have more poorly controlled
P2    1asthma and higher rates of emergency department visits and
2hospitalizations; and

3WHEREAS, Asthma results in an estimated 11.8 million days
4of work or usual activities missed per year among adults and 1.2
5million days of school or day care missed per year among children;
6and

7WHEREAS, An estimated 19.4 percent of adults and 4.7 percent
8of children with current asthma were uninsured at some point in
9the past year; and

10WHEREAS, Total charges for asthma hospitalizations in 2010
11were over $1 billion, and intervention to prevent repeat
12hospitalizations could have saved $156 million in these medical
13costs; and

14WHEREAS, It is important that every person with asthma be
15diagnosed, receive appropriate treatment, learn how to manage his
16or her asthma, and reduce exposure to environmental factors that
17make his or her asthma worse; now, therefore, be it

18Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
19thereof concurring,
That the Legislature hereby designates the
20month of May 2015 as Asthma Awareness Month in order to
21increase awareness and understanding about asthma and educate
22those with the disease on the treatments available and the methods
23of preventing attacks; and be it further

24Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
25of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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