BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó
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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                        SCR 16|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                              |
          |(916) 651-1520    Fax: (916)      |                              |
          |327-4478                          |                              |
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                                    THIRD READING
          Bill No:  SCR 16
          Author:   Block (D), et al.
          Introduced:2/2/15  
          Vote:     21  
          
          SUBJECT:   Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week
          SOURCE:    National Multiple Sclerosis Society
          DIGEST:  This resolution declares the week of March 2, 2015,  
          through March 8, 2015, as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week.
          ANALYSIS:   This resolution makes the following legislative  
          findings:
          1.The week of March 2, 2015, through March 8, 2015, has been  
            declared Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week in recognition of  
            the importance of finding the cause of, and a cure for,  
            multiple sclerosis and to express appreciation to the National  
            Multiple Sclerosis Society and its California chapters.
          2.Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease of the central  
            nervous system that affects an estimated 400,000 Americans  
            across the country and more than 40,000 people in California.   
            Nearly 200 new cases are diagnosed each week nationwide.  
          3.Twice as many women as men have multiple sclerosis and most  
            are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and while studies  
            indicate genetic factors make certain individuals more  
                                                                     SCR 16  
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            susceptible than others, there is no evidence that multiple  
            sclerosis is directly inherited.
          4.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.
          5.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.
          This resolution declares the week of March 2, 2015, through  
          March 8, 2015, 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.
          Prior Legislation
          ACR 22 (Dickinson, Resolution Chapter 12, Statutes of 2013),  
          which is similar to this resolution, declared the week of March  
          11, 2013, through March 15, 2013, as Multiple Sclerosis  
          Awareness Week.
          SCR 88 (Evans, Resolution Chapter 19, Statutes of 2014), which  
          is identical to this resolution, declared the week of March 3,  
          2014, through March 9, 2014, as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness  
          Week.
          FISCAL EFFECT:   Appropriation:    No          Fiscal  
                                                                     SCR 16  
                                                                     Page  3
          Com.:NoLocal:    No
          SUPPORT:   (Verified2/18/15)
          National Multiple Sclerosis Society (source)
          Prepared by:Karen Chow / SFA / (916) 651-1520
          2/18/15 15:59:33
                            SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
                                   ****  END  ****