Representatives Kelly Dieter and Meredith Lowe Larson Roe presented sponsor testimony on House Bill 104, which would designate Feb. 14 as Cardiovascular Health Awareness Day in Ohio to promote prevention and education.

"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in our state and in our nation," Representative Kelly Dieter told the committee, urging the designation to encourage prevention, early detection and healthier lifestyles. Dieter said the selection of Feb. 14 was deliberate given the day's association with care and love.

Representative Meredith Lowe Larson Roe said the designation is intended to spur collaborations among health professionals, advocacy organizations and community leaders, and to provide an opportunity for educational campaigns and screenings. "House Bill 104 is more than just a symbolic recognition," Larson Roe said. "It has the potential to foster collaborations among health care professionals, advocacy organizations, and community leaders."

Sponsors cited statistics during their remarks—including that cardiovascular disease accounts for roughly one in three deaths nationally and that about one person dies every 33 seconds—but did not provide bill text with mandated programs or funding in committee testimony. The hearing was the bill’s first; the committee recorded no amendments or votes and asked no substantive questions of the sponsors.