BILL NUMBER: ACR 54INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mitchell APRIL 27, 2011 Relative to American Stroke Month 2011. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 54, as introduced, Mitchell. American Stroke Month 2011. This measure would declare May 2011 to be American Stroke Month in California. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States, killing over 136,000 people nationwide and approximately 15,585 citizens of California each year; and WHEREAS, Warning signs of stroke include sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body, sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, and sudden severe headache with no known cause; and WHEREAS, Americans are more aware of the risk factors and warning signs for stroke now than they have been in the past, but two in five adults cannot identify any symptoms; and WHEREAS, The actions for American Stroke Month 2011 are "Take 2 to Save 2" to encourage people to take two minutes to save two lives by sending two health messages to two people that they know who smoke, are overweight, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease or stroke, and are at increased risk of being disabled or dying from a stroke, and to promote the program "Power to End Stroke" to reduce stroke in African Americans, who are at particularly high risk of stroke, by empowering them to reduce their risk, recognize the warning signs, and respond quickly; and WHEREAS, New and effective treatments have been developed to treat and minimize the severity and damaging effects of strokes, but much more research is needed; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares May 2011 to be American Stroke Month in California; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature urges all Californians to familiarize themselves with the risk factors associated with stroke, to recognize the warning signs and symptoms of stroke, and, at the first signs of a stroke, to dial 911 immediately in order to begin to reduce the devastating effects of stroke on our population; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author and to the Secretary of the Senate for appropriate distribution.