BILL NUMBER: ACR 167INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ma (Coauthors: Assembly Members Brownley, Hall, Jeffries, and Bonnie Lowenthal) (Coauthor: Senator Huff) MAY 24, 2010 Relative to Students with Epilepsy Month. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 167, as introduced, Ma. Students with Epilepsy Month. This measure would recognize September 2010 and each September thereafter as Students with Epilepsy Month. This measure would also encourage the Epilepsy Foundations of California to continue to join with the educational and health communities to conduct epilepsy education, awareness, and treatment. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, Epilepsy is a chronic health condition that affects over 3 million Americans. More Americans are affected by epilepsy than by cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson' s disease combined; and WHEREAS, An estimated $15.5 billion in annual medical costs in the United States result from epilepsy; and WHEREAS, Epilepsy affects approximately 400,000 Californians, 90,000 of whom are children under 18 years of age; and WHEREAS, While epilepsy can begin at any age, it most commonly occurs in children and the elderly; and WHEREAS, Epilepsy affects individuals with varying severity, ranging from a very limited effect on the individual to devastating impacts on all aspects of life. Epilepsy is truly disabling for those living with uncontrolled seizures, due to frequent seizures, impairments to cognition, memory, and functional skills, and a highly compromised quality of life; and WHEREAS, Early diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy is critical to both maximizing long-term prognosis and saving lives by recognizing and appropriately responding to seizure emergencies; and WHEREAS, A seizure can take many forms and is caused by a brief change in the normal functioning of the brain's electrical system. While seizures are most often associated with convulsions, in fact, a seizure can also be as subtle as strange sensations or perceptions, altered awareness, brief staring episodes, abnormal motions or postures, stiffness, or confused speech; and WHEREAS, Epilepsy is the second leading cause of death and disability in children under 14 years of age, and up to 50,000 deaths occur annually in the United States from prolonged seizures, known as status epilepticus, and other seizure-related causes; and WHEREAS, In children with epilepsy uncontrolled seizures damage the child's developing brain and can impact academic performance, memory, learning, and result in social-emotional challenges; and WHEREAS, Students with epilepsy have the ability to achieve their educational goals with access to effective and appropriate school and medical support services. Further, access to interagency support systems strengthens the quality of life for children with epilepsy; and WHEREAS, Recognizing Students with Epilepsy Month will bring attention to this severe and often underreported and underrecognized condition. Students with Epilepsy Month will help address and dispel misperceptions associated with epilepsy and positively demonstrate the ability of children to succeed in spite of their seizures; and WHEREAS, Students with Epilepsy Month will provide an opportunity for the school community to become better educated and empowered to best meet the needs of students with epilepsy; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes September 2010 and each September thereafter as Students with Epilepsy Month; and be it further Resolved, That the Epilepsy Foundations of California are encouraged to continue to join with the educational and health communities to conduct epilepsy education, awareness, and treatment; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.