Amended in Assembly February 29, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 141

Introduced by Assembly Members Wood and McCarty

(Principal coauthor: Senator Nielsen)

February 18, 2016

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 141—Relative to Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 141, as amended, Wood. Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week.

This measure would declare the week of March 7, 2016, through begin delete March 13, 2015, end delete begin insert March 13, 2016, end insert as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, The week of March 7, 2016, through March 13,
2016, has been declared Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week in
recognition of the importance of finding the cause begin delete of, and a cure
for, end delete begin insert of and a cure for end insert multiple sclerosis and to express appreciation
to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and its California
chapters; and

WHEREAS, Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease of the
central nervous system that affects an estimated 400,000 Americans
across the country, and nearly 200 new cases are diagnosed each
week nationwide; and

WHEREAS, More than 40,000 people in California are affected
by this devastating disease; and

WHEREAS, Twice as many women as men have multiple
sclerosis and most are diagnosed between 20 and 50 years of age,
and while studies indicate genetic factors make certain individuals
more susceptible than others, there is no evidence that multiple
sclerosis is directly inherited; and

WHEREAS, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, founded
in 1946, funds more research, offers more services for people with
multiple sclerosis, and provides more professional education
programs than any other multiple sclerosis organization in the
world. Through its 50-state network of chapters, the society serves
more than one million people annually; and

WHEREAS, The society is the largest private supporter of
multiple sclerosis research in the world, and for more than 55 years
it has funded innovative research and advocated for government
support of important scientific inquiries; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the years, the California chapters of
the society have been committed to heightening public knowledge
and insight, and are currently planning several major statewide
educational programs to raise awareness about the effects of
multiple sclerosis; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares the week of
March 7, 2016, through March 13, 2016, as Multiple Sclerosis
Awareness Week, and that the residents of the State of California
are encouraged to join together in raising awareness and
heightening public knowledge of this debilitating disease; and be
it further

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