AMENDED IN SENATE OCTOBER 20, 2004
SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 6
INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER KIM-SELBY
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AP 6: STROKE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES IS REQUIRED TO ADMINISTER VARIOUS PROGRAMS RELATED TO DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION, INCLUDING A PROGRAM FOR THE CONTROL OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. EXISTING LAW CREATES THE HEART DISEASE AND STROKE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT TASK FORCE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. THE TASK FORCE IS COMPOSED OF 12 MEMBERS, AS SPECIFIED, AND IS REQUIRED TO PERFORM A NUMBER OF DUTIES, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF A HEART DISEASE AND STROKE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT STATE MASTER PLAN. EXISTING LAW REQUIRES THE TASK FORCE, BY NOVEMBER 1, 2005, TO SUBMIT THE MASTER PLAN TO THE LEGISLATURE, THE GOVERNOR, AND THE DEPARTMENT. EXISTING LAW ALSO MAKES IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS PROVISIONS CONTINGENT UPON THE RECEIPT OF PRIVATE FUNDING IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO FUND THE ENTIRE COST OF THE OPERATION OF THE TASK FORCE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLETING THE REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED, AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT. UNDER EXISTING LAW, THESE PROVISIONS BECOME INOPERATIVE MARCH 1, 2006, AND ARE REPEALED JANUARY 1, 2007.
THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CREATE A STROKE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
VOTE: MAJORITY.
AP 6: RELATING TO STROKE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN
WHEREAS, STROKE IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF ADULT LONG-TERM DISABILITY IN THE UNITED STATES, STRIKES 750,000 OF ALL AGES ANNUALLY, IS THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH, AND KILLS MORE THAN 175,000 PERSONS ANNUALLY IN THE UNITED STATES; AND
WHEREAS, SOMEONE SUFFERS A STROKE EVERY 45 SECONDS, AND EVERY 3.1 MINUTES SOMEONE DIES OF A STROKE. STROKE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AN ESTIMATED $40,000,000,000 IN HEALTH-CARE COSTS AND LOST PRODUCTIVITY EACH YEAR; AND
WHEREAS, TWO-THIRDS OF ITS VICTIMS ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL DISABILITY AND EMOTIONAL EFFECTS. CONTRARY TO COMMON BELIEF THAT STROKES OCCUR PRIMARILY IN OLDER PEOPLE, HALF OF ALL STROKE VICTIMS ARE UNDER 50 YEARS OLD; AND
WHEREAS, TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK (TIA), WHICH SOMETIMES PRECEDES AN ISCHEMIC STROKE, MAY ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 83 PERCENT OF ALL STROKES BUT DISAPPEARS WITHIN FIVE MINUTES TO 24 HOURS; AND
WHEREAS, A KEY FEATURE OF STROKE IS THAT IT IS UNEXPECTED AND DEVELOPS SUDDENLY; UP TO 50 PERCENT OF ALL STROKES OCCUR IN PEOPLE WHO SHOW NO PRIOR SYMPTOMS, AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A PRIOR STROKE FACE A NINE TIMES GREATER RISK OF HAVING ANOTHER ONE AND A TWO TIMES GREATER RISK OF HAVING A HEART ATTACK COMPARED WITH THE GENERAL POPULATION; AND
WHEREAS, STROKE IS PREVENTABLE IF ONE HAS AN APPRECIATION OF THE RISK FACTORS OP AGE, SEX, PRIOR STROKE, FAMILY HISTORY OF STROKE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, SMOKING, DIABETES MELLITUS, CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE, LACK OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE, LACK OF HEALTHY DIET, AND TIA; AND
WHEREAS, PEOPLE MUST BE EDUCATED WITH REGARD TO WHAT STROKE SYMPTOMS ARE. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN STROKE ASSOCIATION, 74 PERCENT OF UNITED STATES POPULATION DOES NOT KNOW THE MOST COMMON WARNING SIGNS OF STROKE. COMMON WARNING SIGNS INCLUDE SUDDEN NUMBNESS OR WEAKNESS IN AN ARM, LEG, OR FACE ON ONE SIDE OF THE BODY OR ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BODY, UNEXPECTED SEVERE HEADACHE WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE, SUDDEN CONFUSION, TROUBLE SPEAKING OR UNDERSTANDING, SUDDEN VISION PROBLEMS IN ONE OR BOTH EYES, UNEXPLAINED DIZZINESS, SUDDEN TROUBLE WALKING OR LOSS OF BALANCE OR COORDINATION; AND
WHEREAS, SHOULD ANY STROKE SYMPTOMS APPEAR, THE PERSON OR HIS OR HER FAMILY SHOULD CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY TO MEET THE THREE-TO-NINE HOUR PERIOD TO RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL TREATMENT BY HOSPITAL STAFF; AND
WHEREAS, IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT MEDICAL RESPONSE TIME IS VERY IMPORTANT AS THERE ARE MEDICINES AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CRUCIAL THREE-HOUR WINDOW PERIOD OF STROKE FOR TISSUE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR (TPA) OR THE CRUCIAL NINE-HOUR WINDOW PERIOD FOR DESMOTEPLASE FROM SALIVA OF VAMPIRE BATS; AND
WHEREAS, THE NATIONAL STROKE ASSOCIATION HAS URGED THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO REGARD STROKE AS A "BRAIN ATTACK" AND TO RESPOND SIMILARLY AS TO A "HEART ATTACK"; AND
WHEREAS, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING SHALL COORDINATE EFFORTS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION TO COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICES AND AREA AGENCIES ON AGING, AS WELL AS TO SENIOR CENTERS AMD SENIOR ADVOCACY GROUPS, AND OTHER SENIOR NETWORK STAKEHOLDERS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2004 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STROKE EDUCATION
CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF STROKE SEMINAR PROGRAMS IN HOSPITALS, EXISTING SENIOR CENTERS, SENIOR HOUSINGS, MOBILE HOME PARKS, FAMILY COMPLEX HOUSING PROJECTS, BINGO PARLORS, WITH HOSPITAL PERSONNEL,
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND SERVICES, STROKE SYMPTOM FLYERS ON
ALL EXISTING PUBLIC BUILDINGS, HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CLUBS, HOTEL AND
MOTEL GUEST ROOMS, RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES, CHURCHES, NEWS MEDIA, AND ALL SENIOR GROUP ORGANIZATIONS; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
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