California Assembly Resolution Would Establish a State Task Force on Fibromyalgia

California Assembly Resolution Would Establish a State Task Force on Fibromyalgia

March 17, 2008

California Assemblymember Nell Soto introduced a resolution on March 3 (Assembly Concurrent Resolution 112), authored by Assemblymember Mervyn Dymally, that would establish a 15-member Legislative Task Force on Fibromyalgia for California.

If approved the task force could be the first of its kind. See “Bill before Missouri General Assembly Targets Help for Fibromyalgia Patients” for news of a similar initiative in Missouri.

The aim of the task force, as described in ACR 112, would be to:

“Establish a public information and outreach campaign,

Work with other state and local agencies to promote Fibromyalgia education and training programs for physicians and other health professionals,

Collaborate with a broad group of stakeholders,

Review current state policies and practices concerning treatment of Fibromyalgia,

Develop a State Fibromyalgia Strategic Plan to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by September 1, 2009,

And hold a Fibromyalgia Summit during the 2009–10 Regular Session of the Legislature.”

If the resolution were approved as currently worded, appointment of the task force would be the responsibility of the California State Assembly, Senate, and National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA).

An NFA-coordinated Fibromyalgia Legislation Day, held March 10 in Sacramento and led by NFA President Lynne Matallana, urged legislators to support the resolution. The event began with a press conference featuring California Senator Negrete McLeod, chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, and Assemblymember Sharon Runner, who are co-sponsors of a national resolution “advocating for improved treatments, expanded research at the National Institutes of Health, comprehensive health insurance coverage and increased awareness of Fibromyalgia, particularly involving the U.S. Congress and specifically the Congressional Caucus on Women’s Issues.”