H 4846 General Bill, By Moss, Gambrell, Chalk, Erickson, Frye, Spires, 
J.M. Neal, Coleman, Agnew, Bowen, Bowers, Brady, Branham, G. Brown, Cobb-Hunter, 
Crawford, Funderburk, Gullick, Hayes, Jennings, Knight, Littlejohn, McLeod, 
Merrill, Neilson, Ott, Pinson, Sandifer and Young
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 53-3-115 SO AS TO DESIGNATE THE THIRD WEEK IN SEPTEMBER AS "MITOCHONDRIAL
 DISEASE AWARENESS WEEK".

   03/12/08  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-9
   03/12/08  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-9
   03/13/08  House  Recalled from Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-30
   03/17/08         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/25/08  House  Read second time HJ-41
   03/26/08  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-27
   03/26/08  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-5
   03/26/08  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-5

RECALLED

March 13, 2008

H. 4846

Introduced by Reps. Moss, Gambrell, Chalk, Erickson, Frye, Spires, J.M. Neal, Coleman, Agnew, Bowen, Bowers, Brady, Branham, G. Brown, Cobb-Hunter, Crawford, Funderburk, Gullick, Hayes, Jennings, Knight, Littlejohn, McLeod, Merrill, Neilson, Ott, Pinson, Sandifer and Young

S. Printed 3/13/08--H.    [SEC 3/17/08 3:01 PM]

Read the first time March 12, 2008.

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 53-3-115 SO AS TO DESIGNATE THE THIRD WEEK IN SEPTEMBER AS "MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE AWARENESS WEEK".

Whereas, mitochondria are the power plants in every cell of a person's body and create more than ninety percent of the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth; and

Whereas, mitochondria might not function correctly due to genetic defects, damage caused by drugs, or damage caused by destructive molecules called free radicals; and

Whereas, when mitochondria fail, cell injury and cell death follow, and if the process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail; and

Whereas, mitochondrial diseases can cause isolated symptoms like seizures, low blood counts, blindness, deafness, dementia, heart failure, and progressive muscle weakness, but more often they cause failure of several organ systems in sequence; and

Whereas, although mitochondrial diseases can affect a person at any age; and

Whereas, it is estimated that more than one in 4,000 children born in the United States each year will develop a mitochondrial disease by ten years of age; and

Whereas, since mitochondrial disorders mimic others diseases, they might often be under diagnosed; and

Whereas, currently no cure or effective therapy for mitochondrial disease exists, but early diagnosis can help patients and their families use proper medication and nutritional supplements to improve the quality of life, and even prolong life; and

Whereas, it is appropriate that all citizens of the State of South Carolina be better informed about mitochondrial diseases and their impact.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Chapter 3, Title 53 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 53-3-115. The third week of September each year is designated as 'Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week' in South Carolina. The citizens of South Carolina are urged to observe the week with appropriate activities and programs."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.