BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AJR 44
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 20, 2012

                             ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
                                Nancy Skinner, Chair
                   AJR 44 (Carter) - As Introduced:  August 6, 2012
                                   (as proposed to be amended)

           SUBJECT  :   Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month.

           SUMMARY  :   Recognizes September 2012 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 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, this form of anemia occurs in 1 out of 500 
            African American births and 1 out of 36,000 Latino births. 
            This can be a life-threatening condition with access to 
            comprehensive care limited by social, economic, cultural, and 
            geographic barriers.

          3)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 
            address the problem at the national and local levels; and to 
            ask the public to reflect on children and adults whose lives, 
            education, and careers have been affected by this disease.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   None

           COMMENTS:   The committee is proposing amendments to make 
          technical, clarifying changes to the resolution.









                                                                  AJR 44
                                                                  Page  2

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          None on file.

           Opposition 
           
          None on file.
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Nicole Willis / RLS. / (916) 319-2800