BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | ACR 64|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: ACR 64
Author: Ma (D), et al
Amended: 5/26/09 in Assembly
Vote: 21
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO COMMITTEE OR FILE
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Read and adopted, 5/14/09
SUBJECT : Hepatitis B
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution declares May 2009, to be
Hepatitis B Awareness Month in California, recognizes May
19, 2009, as World Hepatitis Awareness Day, and calls 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.
ANALYSIS :
This resolution makes the following legislative findings:
1. May 19, 2009, is World Hepatitis Awareness Day.
2. California does not currently have a comprehensive
statewide plan addressing the prevention and treatment
of chronic hepatitis B for all Californians.
CONTINUED
ACR 64
Page
2
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. In the United States, it is estimated that up to two
million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B
and more than 400, 000 Californians are chronically
infected with hepatitis B.
6. 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.
7. 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 that of non-Hispanic
whites.
8. 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.
9. Chronic hepatitis B is preventable and in many cases can
be cured or managed using currently available treatment.
10.For many reasons, however, those at risk for hepatitis B
infection are not receiving prevention information,
while those chronically infected are not receiving
treatment.
11.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
ACR 64
Page
3
laid off and rehired by a second employer.
This resolution declares May 2009, to be Hepatitis B
Awareness Month in California, recognizes May 19, 2009, as
World Hepatitis Awareness Day, and calls 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 EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
CTW:do 6/3/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
**** END ****