BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  ACR 131
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 9, 2012

                             ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
                                Nancy Skinner, Chair
                 ACR 131 (Galgiani) - As Introduced:  March 19, 2012
           
          SUBJECT  :   Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness.

           SUMMARY  :   Designates November 2012 as Chronic Obstructive 
          Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month in California; and, 
          encourages public officials and the citizens of California to 
          increase awareness of the symptoms of, and the methods of 
          preventing, COPD.  Specifically,  this resolution  makes the 
          following legislative findings:  

          1)COPD, also known as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the 
            third leading cause of death in the United States; and, its 
            prevalence and death rate is rising.

          2)COPD is a chronic and progressive disease that impacts an 
            estimated 24 million Americans each year; and, many patients 
            suffering with COPD are not diagnosed until they have reached 
            an advanced state which often includes a disabling degree of 
            lung dysfunction.

          3)A diagnostic test for COPD, known as spirometry, is available 
            for office use, allowing early diagnosis of COPD; and, early 
            diagnosis and management of COPD can lead to an improved 
            quality of life and self-sufficiency for patients who received 
            publicly funded benefits, including Medi-Cal.

          4)The "Healthy People 2020" project of the Centers of Disease 
            Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health 
            concludes that primary care physicians are in a key position 
            to provide optimal care to patients with COPD; and, these 
            physicians need to be trained in the latest methods for 
            diagnosing and treating the disease.

          5)The California COPD Coalition has developed a comprehensive 
            plan to address COPD in the state, entitled the "Strategic 
            Plan to Address COPD in California," which outlines six goal 
            areas, including the following: prevention, quality of care, 
            public health infrastructure and advocacy, surveillance, 
            research, and public education awareness.









                                                                  ACR 131
                                                                  Page  2

           FISCAL EFFECT  : Unknown   

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 
          AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP

           Opposition

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