NY K00934

Memorializes Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim February 2026 as American Heart Month in New York State, in conjunction with the national observance of National American Heart Month

Cites CDC data that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with one in every four deaths attributed to it and one person dying every 37 seconds from cardiovascular disease; approximately 85 million American adults live with some form of heart disease

Notes that over 350,000 people experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital each year with only about 1 in 10 surviving, and that CPR increases survival rates two to three times yet only 46% of cardiac arrest victims receive CPR before emergency professionals arrive

Highlights that heart disease cost the U.S. approximately $219 billion annually from 2014 to 2015, and that it disproportionately affects African American and Hispanic/Latino populations, with African Americans being 30% more likely to develop heart disease than non-Hispanic whites

Identifies New York counties with the highest heart disease incidence, including Chenango, Cattaraugus, Niagara, Orleans, Richmond, Montgomery, and Chautauqua counties, and calls for greater public awareness, screening, and preventive action at local, state, and national levels