SCR 81, as introduced, Monning. California Essential Tremor Awareness Month.
This measure would designate March 2014 as California Essential Tremor Awareness Month.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Essential tremor is a neurological condition that
2affects an estimated 10 million Americans; and
3WHEREAS, Essential tremor causes uncontrollable muscle
4movements and shaking of the hands, legs, head, and voice of
5those affected. Although not confined to the elderly, approximately
65 percent of people between 40 and 60 years of age are affected
7and an estimated 9 percent of people over 60 years of age
8experience symptoms of essential tremor; and
9WHEREAS, Essential tremor is the most common form of
10neurological movement disorders and is often misdiagnosed as
11Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, or a condition of aging. The National
12Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates that the
13disorder is eight times more common than Parkinson’s disease;
14and
15WHEREAS, Californians suffering from essential tremor face
16great hardships in performing activities essential to our daily lives
17such as eating, drinking, grooming, writing, and communicating
P2 1with others. While essential tremor is not life threatening, the
2disruption to daily habits can be a major drain on a patient’s quality
3of life and may often lead to feelings of embarrassment and
4reoccurring depression; and
5WHEREAS, There is no definitive cure for essential tremor,
6and while there are some effective drug therapies available for
7treatment, no medication has yet been developed to exclusively
8treat the disorder; and
9WHEREAS, Increasing public awareness of essential tremor is
10critical to generate funding for research needed to better understand
11the condition and develop more effective therapies or medications.
12Building a greater public awareness of essential tremor can also
13aide in more effective diagnosis of the disorder; now, therefore,
14be it
15Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
16thereof concurring, That the month of March 2014 be designated
17as California Essential Tremor Awareness Month to generate public
18awareness about the most common neurological condition that
19affects the quality of life for an estimated 10 million Californians;
20and be it further
21Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
22this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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