State Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) speaks on her Huntington’s Disease Awareness resolution on May 7, 2024, on the House Floor in the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing.
LANSING, Mich., Jan. 10, 2025 — State Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) introduced her first bill in the 103rd Legislature yesterday. House Bill 4016 would recognize the month of May as Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month in Michigan. The legislation seeks to increase understanding of the challenges people with this rare genetic disorder face and to support ongoing research for a cure.
“People living with Huntington’s Disease deserve to know that we recognize the effects and challenges of their condition, and that Democrats will do everything in our power to raise awareness to support research for a cure,” Byrnes said. “Michigan’s physicians are often still learning about this rare genetic disorder and the best support services they can provide. Dedicating a month to the Huntington’s Disease community and advocating for their right to live comfortably is a crucial step this bill takes.”
The legislation is a reintroduction of House Bill 5963, which Byrnes first introduced late last term. Huntington’s Disease is a fatal progressive degenerative neurological disease that deteriorates a person’s physical and mental abilities. The disease affects over 41,000 Americans and can onset in both childhood and adulthood.
“The HD community is grateful to Rep. Byrnes and Rep. Miller for their work to acknowledge May as Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month. It is through continued awareness that resources to fund research for this fatal disease that has no cure yet, can become available,” said Kristen Pfeifer, wraparound facilitator-easterseals MORC, Huntington’s Disease Society of America, Michigan Chapter, Board Member, HDSA-MI Advocacy Leader.
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