CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

98

Introduced by Senator Choi

(Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Cabaldon, Dahle, Jones, Laird, McNerney, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, Seyarto, Strickland, and Valladares)

May 8, 2025

Relative to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month.

WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person’s brain loses connection with their muscles, slowly reducing a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of new ALS cases are reported every year, and estimates show that every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone passes away from ALS; and

WHEREAS, On average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive only two to five years from the time of diagnosis; and

WHEREAS, The exact causes of ALS are unknown and there is no known cure for ALS; and

WHEREAS, People who have served in the military are more likely to develop ALS and die from the disease than those with no history of military service; and

WHEREAS, Securing access to new therapies, durable medical equipment, and communication technologies is of vital importance to people living with ALS; and

WHEREAS, Clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating new treatments, enhancing quality of life, and fostering assistive technologies for those living with ALS; and

WHEREAS, The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research globally and has committed more than $154,000,000 to support more than 550 projects across the United States and 18 other countries; and

WHEREAS, The ALS Association is committed to accelerating the pace of discovery, fueled by the hope that one day ALS will be a livable disease for everyone, everywhere, until a cure can be found; and

WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the dire circumstances of people living with ALS, acknowledge the terrible impact this disease has on those individuals and their families, and support research to eradicate this disease; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate hereby proclaims the month of May 2025 as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month, and calls upon all Americans to join in supporting ALS research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.