Amended in Senate January 29, 2015

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13

Introduced by Senator Jackson

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Cristina Garcia)

January 22, 2015

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13—Relative to American Heart Month and begin delete California end delete Wear Red Day begin insert in California end insert .

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 13, as amended, Jackson. American Heart Month and begin delete California end delete Wear Red Day begin insert in California end insert .

This measure would recognize the month of February 2015 as American Heart Month in California and February begin delete 5 end delete begin insert 6 end insert , 2015, as Wear Red Day in California in order to raise awareness of the importance of the ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Heart disease is the number one killer of women,
yet 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented; and

WHEREAS, Cardiovascular disease is the cause of death of one
in three women who die each year, approximately one woman
every minute; and

WHEREAS, The American Heart Association is celebrating
February 2015 as American Heart Month and promoting education
and awareness by encouraging citizens to learn the warning signs
of heart attack and stroke; and

WHEREAS, The American Heart Association’s 2020 impact
goal seeks to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans
by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease
and stroke by 20 percent through research, population- and
community-level interventions, and public health and policy
measures; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 44 million women in the United
States are affected by cardiovascular disease; and

WHEREAS, Ninety percent of women have one or more risk
factors for developing heart disease, yet only one in five American
women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat; and

WHEREAS, Since 1984, more women than men have died each
year from heart disease; and

WHEREAS, Women comprise only 24 percent of participants
in all heart-disease-related studies; and

WHEREAS, Women are less likely to call 911 for themselves
when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack than they are if
someone else were having a heart attack; and

WHEREAS, Only 43 percent of African American women and
only 44 percent of Hispanic women know that heart disease is their
greatest health risk, compared with 60 percent of Caucasian
women; and

WHEREAS, According to the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, heart disease and stroke account for 31.7
percent of all female deaths in California; and

WHEREAS, Research conducted by the federal Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in 2010 found that, on average,
almost 100 women die from heart disease and stroke in California
each day; and

WHEREAS, Women involved with the American Heart
Association’s Go Red For Women movement live healthier lives.
Nearly 90 percent have made at least one healthy behavior change;
and

WHEREAS, Go Red For Women is asking all Americans to Go
Red by wearing red and speaking red. Get your numbers: ask your
doctor to check your blood pressure and cholesterol. Own your
lifestyle: stop smoking, lose weight, exercise, and eat healthy.
Realize your risk: educate your family, make healthy food choices
for you and your family, and teach your kids the importance of
staying active. Don’t be silent: tell all women you know that heart
disease is their number one killer; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes the month of
February 2015 as American Heart Month in California in order to
raise awareness of the importance of the ongoing fight against
heart disease and stroke; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature recognizes February begin delete 5 end delete begin insert 6 end insert , 2015,
as Wear Red Day in California, and urges all citizens to show their
support of women and the fight against heart disease by
commemorating this day by wearing the color red; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges public support for Go Red
For Women events planned in California during American Heart
Month; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.