20250ACR_020397CHP INTRODUCED 2026-05-11 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2026-05-21 PASSED_SENATE 2026-06-11 ENROLLED 2026-06-15 CHAPTERED 2026-06-18 FILED 2026-06-18 2025 ACR CHP CHR 0 Introduced by Assembly Member Hoover (Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Macedo, McKinnor, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ransom, Rivas, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, and Wicks) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hoover COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Addis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Aguiar-Curry COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ahrens COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alvarez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ávila Farías COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bains COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bauer-Kahan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bennett COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Berman COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bonta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Calderon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Caloza COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Carrillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Castillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Connolly COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Davies COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Dixon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ellis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Flora COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Fong COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gallagher COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gipson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jeff Gonzalez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Mark González COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hadwick COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Haney COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Harabedian COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hart COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Irwin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jackson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Johnson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Kalra COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Krell COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Macedo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY McKinnor COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Nguyen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ortega COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pacheco COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Papan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patterson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pellerin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Petrie-Norris COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Quirk-Silva COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ransom COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rivas COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Michelle Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rogers COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Blanca Rubio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sanchez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schiavo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schultz COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sharp-Collins COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Solache COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Soria COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Stefani COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Tangipa COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Valencia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ward COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wicks Relative to Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

Lyme Disease Awareness Month Lyme Disease Awareness Month. This measure would proclaim the month of May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month. NO

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is an often misunderstood illness that can cause serious health problems if it is not caught early and properly treated; and

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. The disease was first identified in North America in the 1970s in Lyme, Connecticut, for which it was named, and since that time, the disease has been found in all states in the United States. The reach of Lyme disease is global, having been reported in more than countries on six continents and several islands; and

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a complex, multisystem illness. Early signs of infection may include rash and flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue. Usually, the disease responds well to prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics. If untreated or inadequately treated, however, Lyme disease can invade multiple organs of the body, including the brain and nervous system. In those instances, patients can become increasingly disabled over time, suffering crippling muscle and joint pain, neurological impairment, psychological disorders, and a host of other symptoms that can lead to financial hardship, job loss, and increased numbers of people on disability; and

WHEREAS, Since there is no reliable form of testing that can accurately pinpoint Lyme disease, getting a proper diagnosis and prompt treatment is often extremely difficult; and

WHEREAS, Patients with Lyme disease are frequently misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and various psychiatric illnesses, including depression. Misdiagnosis of these other diseases often delays the correct diagnosis and treatment, while the underlying infection progresses; and

WHEREAS, Lyme disease affects people of all ages, and is most common in children and older adults and in people who spend time outdoors in wooded, grassy areas, including park rangers and firefighters; and

WHEREAS, According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics, approximately 476,000 people could be diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease each year. This total is about two times the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer and almost times the number of new HIV/AIDS cases per year. Up to percent of Lyme disease cases result in long-term health problems, suggesting approximately 190,400 patients annually; and

WHEREAS, Ticks have four life stages: egg, larval, nymphal, and adult. Both nymphs and adults can transmit diseases to humans. Ticks attach themselves to host animals, such as deer, rodents, and birds, and as the host animals migrate to new areas, so do the ticks. Most people who contract Lyme disease get it from the bite of a nymphal tick, and because nymphs are as small as poppy seeds and their bite is painless, many people do not notice or remove them. The longer a tick is attached to the body, the more likely it will transmit whatever diseases it carries; and

WHEREAS, In California, the Lyme disease bacterium is transmitted by the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus). Ticks are active year round, especially when it is wet. Thus, this tick is most common in the coastal regions and along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada range, but has been found in of California’s counties; and

WHEREAS, In some areas of California, Lyme disease infection rates of nymphal ticks have been found to be as high as percent. Thus, the infection rate in certain regions of California is among the highest in the entire United States. However, since some areas of the state have not been tested for tick infection, the true scope of the problem is not known; and

WHEREAS, Although Lyme disease is the most common vectorborne infection in the United States, the ticks that spread Lyme disease can also spread other diseases at the same time. Among these coinfections are diseases such as babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis. The presence of coinfections can complicate the treatment of Lyme disease; and

WHEREAS, Recently, three new borrelia species belonging to the Lyme disease spirochetal complex have been described, increasing the number of these bacteria known to occur in California to five, making California the focus of more distinct borrelia species than any other geographical region in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature finds that Lyme disease presents a health threat to Californians;

now, therefore,

be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the month of May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.