SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 4

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER FRIEDMAN

(COAUTHOR: SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER WOODS)

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AP 4: HIV/AIDS EDUCATION FOR OLDER ADULTS.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, NO REQUIREMENTS EXIST THAT ENCOURAGE OLDER ADULTS TO RECEIVE REGULAR TESTING FOR HIV/AIDS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISEASE.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE OLDER ADULTS WITH INFORMATION PERTAINING TO HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND OFFER ROUTINE TESTING FOR THE DISEASE AS PART OF REGULAR PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AP 4: RELATING TO HIV/AIDS EDUCATION FOR OLDER ADULTS.

WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING, CALIFORNIA IS EXPECTED TO REPRESENT 14 PERCENT OF THE NATION’S POPULATION BY 202; THE ELDERLY POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE MORE THAN TWICE AS FAST AS THE TOTAL POPULATION; THE OLDER ADULT AGE GROUP IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE 112 PERCENT BETWEEN 1990 AND 2020; AND MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF CALIFORNIA COUNTIES ARE EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE A 100 PERCENT INCREASE IN THIS AGE GROUP, WITH MORE THAN 11 COUNTIES EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE GROWTH RATES ABOVE 150 PERCENT; AND

WHEREAS, BETWEEN APRIL 2006 AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2007, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS RECORDED 21,865 CUMULATIVE CASES OF HIV, OF WHICH ABOUT 9 PERCENT (OR ABOUT 1,937) ARE ADULTS 50 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER; AND

WHEREAS, THE INCIDENCE OF HIV/AIDS IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE GROWING, AND THE OLDER ADULT POPULATION IS GROWING RAPIDLY; AND

WHEREAS, BECAUSE OF MYTHS AND FALSEHOODS THAT CLAIM HIV/AIDS IS A DISEASE OF THE YOUNG, THE HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITY, AND THOSE WHO ARE SEXUALLY PROMISCUOUS, OLDER ADULTS HAVE LIVED WITH A FALSE SENSE OF SEXUAL SECURITY AD HIV/AIDS IN SENIORS HAS BEEN LARGELY IGNORED BY THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSION; 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 2008 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS BE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE OLDER ADULTS WITH INFORMATION PERTAINING TO HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND TO RECOMMEND ROUTINE TESTING FOR THE DISEASE AS PART OF REGULAR PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE ISSUE OF EDUCATION AND PREVENTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSION AND MEASURES BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT PHYSICIANS RECEIVE UP-TO-DATE HIV/AIDS-RELATED TRAINING THAT CLEARLY EMPHASIZES THIS GROWING PROBLEM AND THAT HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH EDUCATION PROVIDERS THAT CATER TO THE OLDER ADULT COMMUNITY PROVIDE ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT; 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.

RN 08 21978

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