Amended in Assembly March 6, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

House Resolution No. 31

Introduced by Assembly Member Hall

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Roger Hernández, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Morrell, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, John A. Pérez, V. Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, and Yamada)

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February 12, 2014

House Resolution No. 31—Relative to Problem Gambling Awareness Week.

WHEREAS, The first week of March 2014 is recognized
nationally as National Problem Gambling Awareness Week; and

WHEREAS, The most recently released DSM-V Manual
(Diagnostic Statistical Manual Version Five) classifies Problem
Gambling as an addiction and is in the same category (chapter) as
alcohol and substance abuse disorders. Previously, it had been
classified as an impulse control disorder along with kleptomania
and pyromania. Problem Gambling compromises, disrupts, and
ultimately destroys the gambler’s personal life, family
relationships, and vocational pursuits; and

WHEREAS, The Office of Problem Gambling has moved under
the State Department of Public Health, thus expanding resources
to increase awareness and create a sense that Problem Gambling
is not only an addiction, but also a public health issue in which
some problem gamblers and others are affected by problem
gambling behavior; and

WHEREAS, Since 2010, the Office of Problem Gambling has
provided treatment services to over 5,300 problem gamblers and
others affected by problem gambling behavior; and

WHEREAS, Health care providers, governmental agencies,
nonprofit organizations, community leaders and organizations,
mental health agencies, the recovery community, gambling industry
personnel, government leaders, law enforcement personnel, and
the general public are working together to change the outcome for
those affected by problem gambling; and

WHEREAS, The Bureau of Gambling Control within the
Department of Justice, the California Gambling Control
Commission, the California State Lottery, California Friday Night
Live Partnership, California Gaming Association, Media Solutions,
NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, and National Pacific American
Families Against Substance Abuse, have joined the Office of
Problem Gambling and the California Council on Problem
Gambling to endorse a problem gambling awareness campaign;
now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
Assembly recognizes the week of March 2, 2014, to March 8,
2014, inclusive, as Problem Gambling Awareness Week, and the
agencies and organizations described above be commended for
their concerted effort to raise public awareness of problem
gambling; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for distribution.