Rep. Liberati offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 104.

A resolution to declare July 22, 2015, as Fragile X Awareness Day in the state of Michigan.

            Whereas, Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of developmental disability, cognitive impairment and autism affecting people of every race, income level, and nationality; and

Whereas, One in every 150 women and 1 in 400 men are carriers of a Fragile X mutation and can pass the mutation to their offspring; and

Whereas, One in every 4,000 children is born with the Fragile X Syndrome and typically requires a lifetime of special care at a cost of over $2,000,000; and

Whereas, Nearly 1.5 million Americans are living with the health impacts of a Fragile X mutation; and

Whereas, Fragile X remains frequently undiagnosed due to the lack of awareness about the condition, even within the medical community; and

Whereas, The genetic mutation causing Fragile X has been studied and is easily identified by testing; and

Whereas, The Fragile X protein also plays a critical role in normal brain function and in other neuropsychiatric conditions including autism, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, clinical depression, and other forms of X-linked cognitive impairment; and

Whereas, The study of Fragile X provides a unique research opportunity for advancing the understanding of these other neuropsychiatric conditions; and

Whereas, With concerted research efforts, a targeted treatment for Fragile X will likely be developed; and

Whereas, Fragile X research has been vastly underfunded despite the prevalence of the condition, the great potential for the development of targeted treatments, and the significance that Fragile X research has for related disorders; and

Whereas, The U.S. Congress has designated July 22 as “National Fragile X Awareness Day”; and

Whereas, The House of Representatives of the state of Michigan as an institution and members of the Michigan Legislature as individuals are in unique positions to help raise public awareness about the need for increased funding for research, early diagnosis, and treatment for the condition known as Fragile X; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare July 22, 2015, as Fragile X Awareness Day in the state of Michigan.