SCR 81, as amended, 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
P2 1WHEREAS, Californians suffering from essential tremor face
2great hardships in performing activities essential to our daily lives
3such as eating, drinking, grooming, writing, and communicating
4with others. While essential tremor is not life threatening, the
5disruption to daily habits can be a major drain on a patient’s quality
6of life and may often lead to feelings of embarrassment and
7reoccurring depression; and
8WHEREAS, There is no definitive cure for essential tremor,
9and while there are some effective drug therapies available for
10treatment, no medication has yet been developed to exclusively
11treat the disorder; and
12WHEREAS, Increasing public awareness of essential tremor is
13critical to generate funding for research needed to better understand
14the condition and develop more effective therapies or medications.
15Building a greater public awareness of essential tremor can also
16aide in more effective diagnosis of the disorder; now, therefore,
17be it
18Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
19thereof concurring, That the month of March 2014 be designated
20as California Essential Tremor Awareness Month to generate public
21awareness about the most common neurological condition that
22affects the quality of life for an estimated 10 millionbegin delete Californians;end delete
23begin insert Americans;end insert and be it further
24Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
25this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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