BILL ANALYSIS �
AJR 18
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AJR 18 (Carter)
As Introduced September 1, 2011
Majority vote
RULES 10-0
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|Ayes:|Skinner, Silva, Alejo, | | |
| |Butler, Carter, Davis, | | |
| |Donnelly, Hagman, Hueso, | | |
| |Nielsen | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Recognizes September 2011 as Sickle Cell Awareness
Month in California; and, urges the President and the Congress
of the United States to restore funding for sickle cell anemia
centers and research and to make sickle cell anemia and other
genetic hemoglobinopathies a public health priority.
Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1)Sickle cell anemia and sickle cell disease refer to a group of
inherited disorders that affect the red blood cells by
effecting the shape of the cells; instead of the hemoglobin
being smooth and round and able to glide easily through the
blood vessels, they are curved or "sickle" shaped and become
hard and sticky, blocking blood flow and preventing oxygen
from getting through the tissues causing severe pain and
damage to organs.
2)It is estimated that over 70,000 Americans have sickle cell
anemia; and, about 2.5 million Americans have the sickle cell
trait, meaning they carry a copy of the gene for the disease.
3)Sickle cell anemia occurs in 1 out of every 400 African
American births and 1 out of every 19,000 Hispanic American
births; and 1 out of 12 African Americans has the sickle cell
trait as opposed to 1 out of every 100 within the Latino
population who have the trait.
4)The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America and its member
organizations began conducting month-long events in September
to call attention to sickle cell disease and the need to
AJR 18
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address the problem at the national and local levels; and,
during this time, the public is encouraged to reflect on
children and adults whose lives, education, and careers have
been affected by this disease.
5)The effort to officially recognize Sickle Cell Awareness Month
at all levels succeeded in 1983 when the House of
Representatives unanimously passed the first resolution
introduced by the Congressional Black Caucus, designating
September as National Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month in
1983; and, the Legislature of California urges the President
and Congress to restore funding for sickle cell anemia centers
and research.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
Analysis Prepared by : Nicole Willis / RLS. / (916) 319-2800
FN: 0002743