BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SCR 39
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          Date of Hearing:   June 8, 2009

                             ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
                                 Ted W. Lieu, Chair
                 SCR 39 (Steinberg) - As Introduced:  April 28, 2009

           SENATE VOTE :   38-0
           
          SUBJECT  :   Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month.
           
          SUMMARY  :  Proclaims the month of May 2009 as Amyotrophic Lateral  
          Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness Month in California, and encourages  
          continued research in order to find treatments and a cure.   
          Specifically,  this resolution  makes the following legislative  
          findings:   

          1)ALS commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive  
            and fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells  
            in the brain and spinal cord; and, as ALS progresses, patients  
            lose the ability to walk, eat, speak, move, and breathe  
            requiring constant care.

          2)ALS is usually diagnosed between 40 and 70 years of age, with  
            peak onset being around 56 years of age; and, ALS knows no  
            boundaries and can strike anyone, resulting in all citizens  
            being at risk of having ALS.

          3)ALS has no known cause, prevention, or cure; and, ALS  
            Awareness Month increases the public's awareness of ALS  
            patients' circumstances, acknowledges the impact of this  
            disease, and recognizes the need for ALS research, quality  
            treatment and support of patients and their families.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  None

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :

           Support 
           
          None on file.
           
            Opposition 
           
          None on file.









                                                                  SCR 39
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           Analysis Prepared by  :    Anna McCabe / RLS. / (916) 319-2800