BILL NUMBER: AJR 5 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 1, 2014 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 17, 2014 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 4, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gomez JANUARY 17, 2013 Relative to National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AJR 5, as amended, Gomez. National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week. This measure would designate the week of April 20 to 26, 2014, inclusive, as National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week, encourage the promotion of policies and programs that seek to reduce cancer disparities and, as a result, improve cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and followup care for all Californians, and urge the President and the Congress of the United States to recognize National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week has been observed across the country each year since 1987 in an effort to bring attention to the disparities of cancer among medically underserved populations; and WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society is participating in National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week to highlight the disparities in cancer burdens and to encourage public and private sector commitments in helping eliminate these disparities; and WHEREAS, California is the most populous and ethnically and culturally diverse state in the country, and thus, is in a position to provide leadership for the nation to address the reduction of the incidence of cancer among all races, ethnicities, and genders; and WHEREAS, In California, disparities exist in knowledge about cancer, cancer survival, and access to early detection, high-quality treatment, health care coverage, and health care. Social inequities also exist, including differences in occupational hazards, environmental exposures to pollution and other toxins, access to education, nutrition, physical activity, safe neighborhoods, healthy food options, and other factors that contribute to an increased or reduced risk of cancer; and WHEREAS, The risk of developing and dying from cancer varies considerably among different cultural populations in California. The medically underserved are often diagnosed at later stages, and with a higher incidence of cancers with higher mortality, such as lung cancer, and are more likely to receive delayed health care; and WHEREAS, Cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinos, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, and is the second leading cause of death for most other Californians; and WHEREAS, In California, African American males have the highest overall cancer incidence and mortality rates. African American women are more likely to die of breast cancer, although non-Hispanic white women are the most likely to be diagnosed with the disease. African Americans have substantially higher rates of cancers of the stomach, small intestine, liver, and larynx, myeloma, and Kaposi's sarcoma than non-Hispanic whites. African American men are at especially high risk for prostate cancer, more than any other racial and ethnic group; and WHEREAS, In California, lung cancer is the most common cancer among Laotian and Vietnamese men, while prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in most other ethnic groups. Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer among Kampuchean and Korean men. Despite an overall statewide decline in colorectal cancer rates from 1988-2008, incidence sharply increased among Koreans and Vietnamese. Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Latinos have substantially higher rates of liver and stomach cancer than other groups. Vietnamese women have much higher rates of cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women. Asian Americans have among the lowest rates of screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. There remains a lack of data about factors related to cancer, cancer control, and effective interventions among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and WHEREAS, In California, Latinos have substantially higher rates of stomach and liver cancers than other Californians. Latinos have higher rates of acute lymphocytic leukemia and cervical cancer than non-Hispanic whites. Latinos have the highest likelihood of being medically uninsured, which can create serious barriers to screenings, early detection, and treatment. Latino women have the highest risk of developing cervical cancer, significantly higher, than non-Hispanic white women, African American women, Asian American women, and Pacific Islander women; and WHEREAS, Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community are at greater risk for cancer, face specific challenges accessing quality health care because of insurance policies that fail to cover same-sex partners, and may hesitate to access health care because of previous discrimination in health care settings. Lesbians have fewer mammograms, pelvic examinations, and Pap smear tests than heterosexual women. There remains a lack of data about factors related to cancer, cancer control, and effective interventions in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community; now, therefore, be it Resolved, by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature urges the President and the Congress of the United States to recognize "National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week"; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature declares the week of April 20 to 26, 2014, inclusive, as "National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week," within the State of California, and encourages the promotion of policies and programs that seek to reduce cancer disparities and, as a result, improve cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and followup care for all Californians; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.