00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 314                                                                          
01 "An Act establishing the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness Month."                                               
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                          
04 to read:                                                                                                                
05       LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. (a) In establishing Brain Injury                                                 
06 Awareness Month, it is the intent of the legislature to recognize the prevalence of brain                               
07 injuries and help improve the quality of life for individuals who have sustained a brain injury.                        
08       (b)  The legislature finds that                                                                                   
09            (1)  traumatic and acquired brain injuries can happen to anyone and can bring a                              
10 lifetime of secondary health conditions, including persistent concussion symptoms, post-                                
11 traumatic stress injury, physical impairment, developmental delays, paralysis, cognitive and                            
12 behavioral problems, suicidal thoughts, and a greater risk for dementia and Alzheimer's                                 
13 disease, which may present lifelong challenges for individuals and their families;                                      
14            (2)  traumatic brain injuries, which often result from motor vehicle accidents,                              
15 falls, assaults, domestic violence, and sports and occupational injuries, are largely                                   

01 preventable;                                                                                                            
02            (3)  the rate of identified traumatic and acquired brain injuries in the state is                            
03 significantly higher than the national rate;                                                                            
04            (4)  between 3,200,000 and 5,300,000 Americans live with long-term                                           
05 disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injuries;                                                                   
06            (5)  the Brain Injury Association of America reports that every nine seconds                                 
07 someone in the United States sustains a brain injury; and                                                               
08            (6)  approximately 137 people die every day in the United States because of                                  
09 traumatic brain injury-related injuries.                                                                                
10    * Sec. 2. AS 44.12 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read:                                        
11 Sec. 44.12.185. Brain Injury Awareness Month. The month of March each                                                 
12 year is established as Brain Injury Awareness Month. Brain Injury Awareness Month                                       
13 may be observed by schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies                                     
14 and individuals with appropriate activities that increase the public's awareness of                                     
15       prevention and treatment of brain injuries.