Designates May of each year as "Apraxia Awareness Month" in NJ.

AJR153

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 153

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 9, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� DAWN FANTASIA

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Scharfenberger

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates May of each year as �Apraxia Awareness
Month� in NJ.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Joint
Resolution
designating May of each year as
�Apraxia Awareness Month� in New Jersey.

Whereas,

Apraxia is a neurological disorder that affects motor planning and results in
the inability to perform certain voluntary movements despite having the
requisite muscular and sensory abilities; and

Whereas,

Different forms of apraxia are specific to a body parts or are characterized by
the inability to complete certain tasks or perform skilled movements on
command; and

Whereas,

For example, individuals with ideomotor apraxia are unable to mimic gestures or
make certain movements on command; individuals with ideational apraxia have
difficulty performing learned tasks or executing complex tasks in the
appropriate sequence; and individuals with limb-kinetic apraxia have difficulty
performing communicative gestures or using familiar tools or objects; and

Whereas,

Other function-specific forms of apraxia include speech apraxia, which impairs
an individual�s ability to perform the movements necessary to produce speech,
and gait apraxia, which impairs an individual�s ability to walk; and

Whereas,

Apraxia may be present at birth or caused later in life by stroke, dementia, brain
tumors, neurocognitive disorders, or brain injuries; and

Whereas,

Individuals may be diagnosed with one or more forms of apraxia, and some
individuals with apraxia experience other comorbidities, such as dementia,
schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, Huntington�s disease, or Parkinson�s
disease; and

Whereas,

The severity of apraxia may vary depending on the underlying cause and the type
and degree of daily living activities affected, such as eating, dressing, or
bathing, with some individuals requiring long-term assisted nursing care; and

Whereas,

In addition to the physical challenges, apraxia may impact an individual�s
mental and emotional well-being, and is associated with low self-esteem, social
anxiety, and depression; and

Whereas,

While there is no cure for apraxia, physical, occupational, or speech therapies
may assist individuals with apraxia manage their symptoms, improve their
ability to perform activities of daily living, and achieve greater
independence; and

Whereas,

Increasing awareness of apraxia can help ensure New Jerseyans seek appropriate
medical care, are promptly diagnosed, and receive therapeutic treatments that
may significantly improve their quality of life; now, therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� May of each year is
designated as �Apraxia Awareness Month� in New Jersey.

���� 2.� The Governor is requested
to issue a proclamation annually to recognize May of each year as �Apraxia
Awareness Month� and call upon relevant State agencies, organizations, and
citizens of the State to observe the day with appropriate awareness activities
and programs.

���� 3.� This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This joint resolution
designates May of each year as �Apraxia Awareness Month� in New Jersey.

���� Apraxia
is a neurological disorder that affects motor planning and can greatly impair
an individual�s ability to execute certain skilled movements, such as using
familiar tools, speaking, walking, or performing daily living activities, such
as eating, dressing, or bathing.� Apraxia may be present at birth or caused
later in life by trauma or disease, such as stroke, dementia, tumors,
neurocognitive disorders, or brain injuries.� The severity of apraxia may vary
depending on the underlying cause and the type and degree of daily living
activities affected, with some individuals requiring long-term assisted nursing
care.� While there is no cure for apraxia, physical, occupational, or speech
therapies may assist individuals with apraxia manage their symptoms, improve
their ability to perform activities of daily living, and achieve greater
independence.

���� As
increasing awareness of apraxia can help ensure New Jerseyans seek appropriate
medical care, are promptly diagnosed, and receive therapeutic treatments that
may significantly improve their quality of life, it is fitting to designate May
of each year as �Apraxia Awareness Month� in New Jersey.� The Governor is
requested to issue a proclamation annually to recognize May of each year as
�Apraxia Awareness Month� and call upon relevant State agencies, organizations,
and citizens of the State to observe the day with appropriate awareness
activities and programs.