Amended in Assembly May 19, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138

Introduced by Assembly Member Achadjian

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Harkey, Holden, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Olsen, Pan, 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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(Coauthor: Senator Monning)

April 21, 2014

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138—Relative to Viral Hepatitis Awareness Day.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 138, as amended, Achadjian. Viral Hepatitis Awareness Day.

This measure would proclaim May 19, 2014, as Viral Hepatitis Awareness Day in California.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Liver cancer and liver disease related to hepatitis
B and C are two of the leading killers in California; and

WHEREAS, Hepatitis C is the most prevalent bloodborne
disease in the United States and in California; and

WHEREAS, Early detection of hepatitis B or C infection
promotes effective management or treatment of these infections,
preventing disability, loss of productivity and income, and allowing
people to live full, satisfying, and productive lives; and

WHEREAS, Undetected and untreated hepatitis B or C infection
can lead to disability or death; and

WHEREAS, The majority of the estimated 750,000 Californians
with chronic hepatitis C infection do not know they are infected,
and are therefore at high risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer,
or liver failure; and

WHEREAS, The majority of the estimated 350,000 California
residents with hepatitis B infection do not know they are infected,
and are therefore at high risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer,
or liver failure; and

WHEREAS, Untreated hepatitis B and C are the leading causes
of liver failure requiring liver transplant; and

WHEREAS, The federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention released updated guidelines calling for everyone born
between 1945 and 1965 to receive a one-time hepatitis C test,
which would save over 100,000 lives; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, the United States Preventive Services
Task Force (USPSTF) issued a Grade B rating for screening for
hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in persons at high risk for
infection and adults born between 1945 and 1965; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, the USPSTF issued a Grade A rating for
screening pregnant women for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) during
their first prenatal visit; and

WHEREAS, There is a vaccine for the prevention of hepatitis
B, the first proven, low-cost vaccination against any form of cancer
made available to Americans; and

WHEREAS, Hepatitis B- and hepatitis C-related hospitalization
charges totaled $2.3 billion in 2010 in California, mostly paid for
by tax-supported public health insurers; and

WHEREAS, Hepatitis awareness education campaigns and
accessible screening for hepatitis B and C, along with appropriate
treatment, can reduce the damage from hepatitis B and C viral
infection to individuals and to our community, financially, as well
as physically and emotionally; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
hereby proclaims May 19, 2014, as Viral Hepatitis Awareness
Day; and be it further

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