23ABC News at 6 a.m. - February 26

Today is the start of national eating disorder awareness week.

A new piece of legislation is expected to improve access to maternity care in California.

WEEK AND 23ABCDIGS INTO THE STRUGGLE TO FINDLOCAL TREATMENT.PLUS - PROTECTING CALIFORNIAFROM BIO-TERRORISM.

HOW NEWLEGISLATION WILL ADDRESSSECURITYCONCERNS IN THE GENE SYNTHESISINDUSTRY.AND BAD NEWS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLSAROUND THE STATE.WE'LL TELL YOU HOW THE STATELOTTERY SKIMPED ON THEIR BILL TOGIVE BACK TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.GOOD MORNING... AND THANKS FORTUNING IN FOR 23ABC NEWS AT SIXA-M..

I'M MIKE HART.AND I'M DANIELLE KERNKAMP.(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.)(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.)HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES BUILDINGOFF THE WEST COAST,BRINGING SUNSHINE AND STABILITYTO THE ENTIRE REGIONWITH THE BIGGEST WARM UP OF THEYEAR.

TUESDAYBAKERSFIELD HIT 76 AND WE KEEPGETTING WARMER THE REST OF THEWEEK.

EXPECT A HIGH OF 78 TODAYWITH THE LOW 80S BY FRIDAY,WHICHCOULD MATCH OR BREAK OLD HEATRECORDS.

THE KERN RIVERVALLEY ALSO TOPS OUT IN THE 70STHE NEXT COUPLE AFTERNOONSWITH THE LOW TO MID-60S IN THESOUTH MOUNTAINS OFTEHACHAPI AND FRAZIER PARKTHROUGH THE END OF THEWEEK.IT IS NATIONAL EATING DISORDERSAWARENESSWEEK AND IN KERN COUNTY IT CANBE DIFFICULT TO FINDTREATMENT FOR THESE TYPE OFILLNESSES.23ABC'S DANIELA GARRIDO DIGSINTO THE EATING DISORDERSPECIALIST DIRECTORY AND FINDS ALACK OF RESOURCES FORLOCALS.ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL EATINGDISORDER ASSOCIATION,30 MILLION AMERICANS WILLSTRUGGLE WITH AN EATINGDISORDER IN THEIR LIFETIME..10 MILLION WILL BE MEN AND 20MILLION WILL BE WOMEN.

STILL,THE SUPPORT FOR EATING DISORDERTREATMENT IS LACKING IN KERNCOUNTY.GINGER ZEE: "AND THEN IT JUSTMORPHED INTO EXTREMEOBSESSION AND CONTROLLING WHATMY BODY LOOKED LIKE"THIS WEEK, GOODMORNING AMERICA'SGINGER ZEESHARED HER STRUGGLE WITHANOREXIA NERVOSA..

ONE OFTHE DIFFERENT ILLNESSES THATFALLS UNDER AN EATING DISORDER.LAUREN SMOLAR/NEDA SENIORDIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS:"EATING DISORDERS CAN COME INALL SHAPES AND SIZESAND PEOPLE CAN COME ALL OVER THESPECTRUM PEOPLE CAN HAVEBINGE EATING DISORDERS AND ALSORESTRICT ALL OFF THOSEPEOPLE DESERVE AND NEEDPROFESSIONAL HELP FROM PEOPLEWHO SPECIALIZE IN EATINGDISORDERS" WHEN LOOKING FORTREATMENT PROVIDERS ON THENATIONALEATING DISORDER ASSOCIATION'SWEBSITE, NO EATING DISORDERSPECIALISTS WERE LISTED IN KERNCOUNTY."I THINK THERES AN OVERALL LACKOF RESOURCES AND ADEQUATECARE ACROSS THE BOARD SO ITSUNFORTUNATELY NOT UNCOMMONTO BE IN THAT SITUATION"WHEN SEARCHING THE KERN COUNTYTHERAPIST DIRECTORY ONPSYCHOLOGY TODAY, ONLY TWELVEMARKED 'EATINGDISORDERS' AS ISSUED THEY FEELCOMFORTABLE ADDRESSING, BUTONLY ONE MARKED IT AS ASPECIALTY..SAMANTHA BOTHWELL /LOCAL EATINGDISORDER THERAPIST:"WHEN I WAS LIVING ANDPRACTICING THERE I NOTICEDTHAT THERE WERENT ANY EATINGDISORDER PROFESSIONALSAT ALL THAT HAD BEEN TRAINED INPROVIDING TREATMENT FORTHOSE SUFFERING WITH EAITNGDISORDERS"SAMANTA BOWELL WAS BORN ANDRAISED IN BAKERSFIELD,PRACTICED HERE FOR FOUR YEARSAND HAS SINCE MOVED TO LONGBEACH BUT CONTINUES TO SEE ANEED IN OUR AREA."I JUST STARTED OFFERINGTELEHEALTH SERVICES SODOING VIRTUAL THERAPY TO MEETTHAT GAP"THE NATIONAL EATING DISORDERAWARENESS WEBSITE ALSOHAS A SELF ASSESSMENT TEST TOHELP YOU RECOGNIZE YOUREATING HABITS AND OFFER THE BESTFORM OF TREATMENT FOREACH CASE."WE REALLY DO RECOMMEND IFPOSSIBLE YOU GET HELP FROMPROFESSIONALS THAT SPECIALIZE INTHAT AND THAT YOU DONTSTRUGGLE BUT LOOK FOR THESUPPORT YOU DESERVE"WHEN REACHED OUT TO KERNBEHAVIORAL HEALTH ANDSERVICES, WHICH FOCUSES ONMENTAL HEALTH IN KERN COUNTY ANDTHEY SAID THEY ARE STILL WORKINGON ADDING EATINGDISORDER RESOURCES TO THEIRSERVICES.IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ISSTRUGGLING WITHAN EATING DISORDER, YOU CAN CALLTHE NEDA HELPLINE TOTHE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN.YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH FOR NEARBYTREATMENTPROVIDERS ON THEIR WEBSITE.LIVE IN STUDIO, DANIELA GARRIDO,23 ABC NEWS CONNECTING YOU.NEW LEGISLATION WAS ANNOUNCED TOIMPROVE ACCESS TOHIGH-QUALITY MATERNITY CARE FORTHE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION -- ALSOKNOWN AS-- SENATE BILL 12-37-- WOULD EXPAND ACCESS TO CAREBY AUTHORIZINGNURSE--MIDWIVES TO CONDUCTROUTINE SERVICESWITHOUT DIRECT PHYSICANSUPERVISION -- FOLLOWING THELEAD OF 46 OTHER STATES.ACCORDING TO THE PROPOSAL --CALIFORNIA'S CURRENT MODELHAS NOT BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASETHE SAFETY ORQUALITY OF MATERNITY CARE.NURSE--MIDWIVES PERFORM 50-THOUSAND BIRTHS A YEAR INCALIFORNIA AND S-B 12-37 WOULDRESULT IN MORE WOMEN GAININGACCESS.AND A BILL INTRODUCED BYBAKERSFIELD ASSEMBLYMEMBER RUDY SALAS WILL HAVECALIFORNIA LEADING THENATION IN STRENGTHENINGBIOSECURITY.

AB-19-66 WOULD TASKTHE CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENTOFPUBLIC HEALTH WITH DEVELOPINGPUBLIC SAFETY SCREENINGGUIDELINES FOR "GENE SYNTHESIS"COMPANIES OPERATING IN THESTATE.FOR MOST MAJOR COMPANIES -- ACUSTOMER CAN SIMPLY LONG ONTO A WEBSITE -- UPLOAD A D-N-ASEQUENCE AND ORDERTHOUSANDS OF GENES THROUGH THEMAIL.ACCORDING TO A DOCTOR WITH THEJOHN HOPKINS CENTER FORHEALTH SECURITY -- THELEGISLATIONS WOULD "MAKE ITEASIER FOR COMPANIES TO HAVEBASIC BIOSECURITYCONTROLS IN PLACE--AND MAKE ITHARDER TO MAKE BIOLOGICALWEAPONS."AS THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL CONTINUESTO GAIN TRACTIONON CONSTRUCTION -- OFFICIALSWANT TO CONTINUE TOBENEFIT FROM PUBLIC INPUT BYHOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS.THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY ISRELEASING THE FIRST DRAFTENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT FOR ASIGNIFICANT PROJECT SECTIONINTO LOS ANGELES COUNTY.THE DOCUMENT COVERS THE 80- MILESTRETCH FROMBAKERSFIELD TO PALMDALE.IT WILL BE OPEN TO PUBLICCOMMENT STARTING THISFRIDAY - FOR A 45-DAY PERIOD.THE AUTHORITY WILL ALSO HOLDTHREE PUBLIC HEARINGS INLANCASTER, BAKERSFIELD ANDROSAMOND - STARTING NEXTWEEK.CALIFORNIA'S STATE AUDITOR SAYSTHE CALIFORNIA STATELOTTERY SKIMPED ON GIVING $36MILLION IN REVENUE TO FUNDPUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING ANDSPENT $720,000 ONFOOD AND TRAVEL EXPENSES WITHOUTCONSIDERINGCHEAPER OPTIONS.THE AUDITOR'S REPORT SAYS THELOTTERY AGENCY SHOULD HAVEACCOUNTED FOR AN INCREASE INPROFITS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR THATENDED IN JUNE 2018 BY PROVIDING$36 MILLION IN PUBLICEDUCATION FINANCING.THE CALIFORNIA STATE LOTTERYSAYS IN A WRITTEN RESPONSEACCOMPANYING THE AUDIT THAT ITDISAGREES WITH THE AUDITOR'SFINDINGS AND THAT THE AGENCYGIVES THE MOST MONEY IT CAN FOREDUCATION.CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD RECEIVED AMAJOR"INVESTMENT" IN IT'S STEMPROGRAMS -- FROM A LONG-TIMECOMMUNITY PARTNER!CHEVRON DONATING 1 MILLIONDOLLARS OVER FIVE YEARSTO THE SCHOOL.ACCORDING TO C-S-U-B -- THEMONEY WILL HELP WITH ACADEMICPROGRAMS... SPECIFICALLY IN THESCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICSFIELDS.

IT WILL ALSO HELPFACULTY WHO CONDUCT RESEARCHWITHSTUDENTS.C-S-U-B SAYS IT IS GRATEFUL FORTHE SUPPORT FROM CHEVRON."CHEVRON HAS BEEN A GREATSUPPORTER TOCS IN MANY REALMS...... AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAMS."C-S-U-B PRESIDENT LYNNETTEZELEZNY SAYSTHOSE FIELDS CONTINUE TO GROW ATTHE UNIVERSITY -- SOTHIS WILL HELP THEM OUT.THIS MORNING OVER A DOZENEMPLOYEES WITH THE KERN COUNTYSHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL BERECOGNIZED WITH A PROMOTIONCEREMONY.THIS IS VIDEO OF A PREVIOUSCEREMONY.THE DEPARTMENT WILL RECOGNIZE ANUMBER OF EMPLOYEESWITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FORTHEIR DEDICATION ANDHARD WORK.13 EMPLOYEES WILL BE RECEIVINGPROMOTIONS ANDTWO WILL BE AWARDEDCOMMENDATIONS.THE CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE ATTHE SHERIFF'S AUDITORIUM ONNORRIS ROAD AT 10 O'CLOCK THISMORNING.THREE LOCAL ATHLETES WILL BESIGNING THEIR LETTERS OFINTENT -- THIS MORNING -- TOPLAY IN COLLEGE.BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN HIGHSCHOOL IS HOSTING THEEVENT..CARTER LYNCH WILL SIGN TO PLAYFOOTBALL AT U-C BERKELEY.CHRISTINA EVANS FOR SOCCER ATTHE MASTER'S UNIVERSITY.AND ELIZABETH (RAY-KOFF) REHKOPFFOR SWIMMING ATFRESNO PACIFIC UNIVERSITY.IT WILL TAKE PLACE THIS MORNINGAT 11:30.

CONGRATULATIONS TOTHOSE STUDENTS AND YOUR FUTUREENDEAVOURS!HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES BUILDINGOFF THE WEST COAST,