BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                      



           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                   ACR 18|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                         |
          |1020 N Street, Suite 524          |                         |
          |(916) 651-1520         Fax: (916) |                         |
          |327-4478                          |                         |
           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
           
                                         
                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  ACR 18
          Author:   Dickinson (D), et al
          Amended:  3/14/11 in Assembly
          Vote:     21

           
           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  Read and adopted, 3/14/11


           SUBJECT  :    Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week

           SOURCE  :     National Multiple Sclerosis Society


           DIGEST :    This resolution declares the week of March 14, 
          2011, through March 18, 2011, as Multiple Sclerosis 
          Awareness Week.

           ANALYSIS  :    

          This resolution makes the following Legislative findings:

          1. The week of March 14, 2011, through March 18, 2011, has 
             been declared Multiple Sclerosis Week in recognition of 
             the importance of finding the cause and 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 nearly 200 new cases 
             are diagnosed each week nationwide.
                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                ACR 18
                                                                Page 
          2


          3. The California chapters of the National Multiple 
             Sclerosis Society report that more than 40,000 people in 
             California are affected by this devastating disease.  
             Throughout the years, the California chapters have been 
             committed to heightening public knowledge and insight 
             and are currently planning several major statewide 
             fundraisers and educational programs to raise awareness 
             about the effects of multiple sclerosis.

          4. 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 susceptible than others, there is no 
             evidence that multiple sclerosis is directly inherited.

          5. The National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, 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 home 
             office in New York and its 50-state network of chapters, 
             the society services more than one million people 
             annually.

          6. 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.

          This resolution declares the week of March 14, 2011, 
          through March 18, 2011, as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness 
          Week.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Fiscal Com.:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  3/22/11)

          National Multiple Sclerosis Society (source)



          CTW:do  3/23/11   Senate Floor Analyses 







                                                                ACR 18
                                                                Page 
          3


                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

                                ****  END  ****