RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITIOIN TO PROPOSITION 54

CLASSIFICIATION BY RACE, ETHNICITY, COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that Proposition 54 on the October 7, 2003 statewide ballot could be detrimental to health and safety of Californians;

WHEREAS, Proposition 54, would if approved by a majority of voters, restrict government agencies from classifying information on a person's race, ethnicity, color or national origin;

WHEREAS, health care professionals have argued that Proposition 54 is bad medicine for California because often times race, ethnicity and national origin are important in determining appropriate health care protocols;

WHEREAS, health care providers rely on the collection of such data to build a comprehensive and instructive cancer data bases, injury data bases, data bases that document participation in programs designed to prevent or reduce incidence of specific diseases and Proposition 54 would prohibit the collection of this important data;

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors oppose Proposition 54 on the October 7, 2003 statewide ballot because it jeopardizes the health and safety of Californians.

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