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2023 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 510
Designating March, in 2023 and in each succeeding year, as Trisomy Awareness Month in Virginia.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 3, 2023
Agreed to by the Senate, February 14, 2023

 

WHEREAS, trisomy is a genetic condition characterized by the presence of extra partial or full chromosomes in addition to the typical number of 23 pairs of chromosomes in a diploid cell; and

WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families throughout the United States are affected by trisomy, which can cause a range of health problems, learning difficulties, and delays in physical development; and

WHEREAS, the most common forms of autosomal abnormalities among newborns are trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13; and

WHEREAS, trisomy 21, better known as Down Syndrome, affects one in 700 babies born in the United States and occurs when an individual develops an extra copy of chromosome 21; and

WHEREAS, trisomy 18, also known as Edwards Syndrome, affects one in 5,000 babies in the United States, and affected infants that live past the first year usually develop severe intellectual disabilities; trisomy 13, or Patau Syndrome, affects 16,000 newborns in the United States, most of whom die in the first few weeks of life; and

WHEREAS, more rare forms of the condition include trisomy 9, in which the ninth chromosome appears three times in some cells, causing physical and mental growth deficiencies, congenital heart defects, and craniofacial abnormalities; and

WHEREAS, during Trisomy Awareness Month, Virginians are encouraged to learn more about or raise further awareness of these conditions and seek opportunities to support individuals with trisomy and their families, as well as organizations that enable people with developmental disabilities to stay engaged with their communities and lead fulfilling lives; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate March, in 2023 and in each succeeding year, as Trisomy Awareness Month in Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to families of individuals living with these conditions so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this month on the General Assembly's website.