1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2023 SR 3
4
5 By: Senator J. Dotson
6
7 SENATE RESOLUTION
8 TO PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 24, 2023, AS “SCNA2 DAY” IN
9 ARKANSAS.
10
11
12 Subtitle
13 TO PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 24, 2023, AS “SCNA2
14 DAY” IN ARKANSAS.
15
16
17 WHEREAS, SCN2A was first discovered as a cause of benign familial
18 neonatal infantile seizures (BFNIS), a syndrome that often occurs in multiple
19 family members; and
20
21 WHEREAS, SCN2A is found on the second chromosome in the twenty-fourth
22 position; and
23
24 WHEREAS, children with genetic variants in SCN2A can develop early
25 onset epilepsy with various levels of severity; and
26
27 WHEREAS, SCN2A was also discovered as a cause of infantile spasms and
28 other early onset severe epilepsies of childhood, the so-called early
29 infantile epileptic encephalopathies; and
30
31 WHEREAS, SCN2A has also been linked to Ohtahara Syndrome, Dravet
32 Syndrome, epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS), and West
33 Syndrome among others; and
34
35 WHEREAS, SCN2A variants are believed to be a cause of intellectual
36 disability, schizophrenia, and autism which may occur without associated
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1 epilepsy ; and as a variety of other medical conditions may be present in
2 people with SCN2A-related disorders, including sleep problems, cerebral
3 palsy, and movement disorders; and
4
5 WHEREAS, SCN2A is a gene which makes a sodium channel found primarily
6 in the nerve cells that generate electricity, and SCN2A allows too much
7 sodium to enter the nerve cell and thus increases electricity, often
8 presenting with epilepsy as a main symptom; and
9
10 WHEREAS, often, genetic testing can diagnose SCN2A mutations; and
11
12 WHEREAS, while there is not yet a cure for SCN2A-related disorders, a
13 significant amount of research is leading to new therapies, including the
14 development of genetic approaches that aim to correct the genetic abnormality
15 rather than just treating symptoms, and new drugs that help treat SCN2A; and
16
17 WHEREAS, increased awareness of SCN2A by citizens in the State of
18 Arkansas will allow families whose children are afflicted with SCN2A to be
19 better prepared to treat this condition and to be armed with all the
20 necessary information to take care of their children,
21
22 NOW THEREFORE,
23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
24 STATE OF ARKANSAS:
25
26 THAT the Senate recognize the impact that SCN2A has on families and
27 proclaim February 24, 2023, as "SCN2A Day" in Arkansas.
28
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution shall be
30 provided to Mr. Brandon Beasley and Mrs. Nicole Beasley by the Secretary of
31 the Senate.
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2 1/27/2023 9:20:53 AM MAG019