Date of Hearing: April 3, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 214

Author:(Mullin) – As Introduced Ver:January 15, 2019

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to a spinal cord injury research fund authorized pursuant to the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Research Act of 1999.

FISCAL EFFECT:

$5 million one-time GF appropriation to the University of California (UC) to support spinal cord injury research.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. The author indicates this bill is needed to infuse additional funding for SCI research.
2. Background. The Roman Reed Act was enacted by AB 750 (Dutra), Chapter 777, Statutes of 2000, to support scientific research related to spinal cord injuries. The original five-year program was renewed for an additional five years through AB 1794 (Dutra), Chapter 414, Statutes of 2004. The Roman Reed Act funds were allocated to UC and administered by the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at UC Irvine.

The program provides seed grants to researchers to test ideas. According to the program, these grants led to the development of novel techniques for spinal cord injury research, robotic and other novel devices to maximize functional recovery after spinal cord and brain injury and novel treatments now being tested in clinical trials.

1. Funding History. Between 2001 and 2010, the program was funded sufficiently to support 112 projects (between 9 and 22 projects per year with a funding allocation of between $800,000 and $2.1 million per year). UC Irvine, which still operates the program with local funds, indicates state funding leveraged tens of millions in additional federal and private funding.
2. Prior Legislation. AB 714 (Wieckowski) of 2013 would have appropriated $1 million GF to the SCI research fund. AB 714 was vetoed by Governor Brown, who noted its value but his distaste for special earmarks for research. Brown stated it is entirely within the university system's discretion to fund the Spinal Cord Research Program, or any other project it deems of value.

AB 1657 (Wieckowski) of 2012 would have imposed a $1 assessment upon every conviction for a violation of any rule of the road and directed the funds to the UC’s SCI research fund authorized by the act. AB 1657 was vetoed by Governor Brown, who noted fines should be based on what is reasonable punishment and not enacted to pay for new activities, however worthwhile.

AB 190 (Wieckowski) of 2011 would have required an additional $3 penalty assessment for every violation of the vehicle code, except parking violations, to provide support to the SCI research program at UC. AB 190 was held on the Suspense File of this committee

Analysis Prepared by: Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: March 26, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

Jim Wood, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 214

Author:(Mullin) – As Introduced Ver:January 15, 2019

SUBJECT: The Spinal Cord Injury Research Program.

SUMMARY: Appropriates $5 million from the General Fund (GF) to the spinal cord injury research fund authorized by the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999 (Roman Reed Act).

EXISTING LAW authorizes the University of California (UC) to establish a SCI research fund independent of the State Treasury, to accept public and private funds for the purpose of injury research programs and grants pursuant the Roman Act.

FISCAL EFFECT: This bill has not been yet been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

COMMENTS:

1. PURPOSE OF THIS BILL. According to the author, California has long been known for its cutting edge efforts in medical research and biotechnology. The author states that California is the home to the ‘Birthplace of Biotechnology’ and many resulting breakthroughs have occurred at our outstanding universities and teaching hospitals thanks to the financial support from research grants such as those provided by the Roman Reed Program. The previous allocations of approximately $15 million in state funding to the Roman Reed program was leveraged over five times that amount in new grants benefitting spinal cord research all across the state. It’s time to reinstate a modest amount of state funding so these efforts can continue.
2. BACKGROUND. In California, there are over 600,000 individuals living with paralysis from spinal cord injuries. These injuries result in a drastic loss in the quality and independence of life as well as a large financial burden. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the health care cost associated with spinal cord injuries can reach nearly five million dollars over an individual’s lifetime. The Roman Reed Act was established by the Legislature in 1999 to support scientific research related to spinal cord injuries. In 2004, the program was renewed for an additional five years of funding. The Roman Reed Act funds were allocated to the UC, and administered by the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at UC Irvine.

The Roman Reed Program has three components:

• 1. Research grants, which must go to principal investigators in the state of California and promote innovative, high-impact research projects focusing on SCI or nerve cell regeneration;
  2. The Roman Reed Core Laboratory, which provides a means for investigators who are new to the field of SCI research to launch novel research projects and obtain training in SCI research techniques;
  3. An annual meeting fostering collaboration and communication throughout California, both for scientists and the lay public.
     
     Between 2001 and 2010, the program gave one-time funding to 112 projects around the state (as shown in the table below). From over $10 million given to these programs, almost an additional $63.9 million for research from federal and private entities was brought into California from the data generated from Roman Reed funded laboratories.

According to Dr. Oswald Steward, the Roman Reed Project Director, since the state funds ceased in 2010, there have been no grants funded by the Roman Reed SCI program. The Roman Reed funded grants were one year seed grants, which are grants utilized to start innovative research where the preliminary data necessary to secure longer term grant funding is limited. These grants were designed for researchers to obtain preliminary research needed for larger federal grants. The subsequent funding generated from these seed grants was only tracked one year following the seed grants provided by the Roman Reed Act funds.

1. SUPPORT. According to the California Life Sciences Foundation: California has long been known for its cutting edge efforts in medical research and biotechnology, with many resulting breakthroughs occurring at our outstanding universities and teaching hospitals through the financial support from research grants that have been leveraged via timely investments by the State. This bill would revive one such investment, by reinstating funding for spinal cord injury research in accordance with the Roman Reed Act.
2. PREVIOUS LEGISLATION.
   1. AB 714 (Wieckowski) of 2013 would have appropriated $1 million GF to the SCI research fund authorized by the Roman Reed Act. AB 714 was vetoed by Governor Brown stating:

“While the measure [AB 714] strives to do only good - namely advance research and cures for spinal cord injury - appropriating yet more state General Fund dollars to the University of California for a select purpose is not the answer. After several years of painful cuts, last January, I proposed substantial budget increases for the University of California ($511 million over four years) with maximum flexibility for their funding, so long as they did not increase tuition. The 2013 Budget Act provided the first portion of that increased investment. Research is a core mission of the University of California. As such, it is entirely within the university system's discretion to fund the Spinal Cord Research Program, or any other project it deems of value. For that reason, I have consistently chosen not to support special earmarks in the University of California's budget and leave it to the university - as deeply steeped in innovation and research as it is - to make funding decisions like this.”

• 1. AB 1657 (Wieckowski) of 2012 would have imposed a $1 assessment upon every conviction for a violation of any rule of the road and directed the funds to the UC’s SCI research fund authorized by the act. AB 1657 bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.
  2. AB 190 (Wieckowski) of 2011 would have required an additional $3 penalty assessment for every violation of the vehicle code, except parking violations, to provide support to the SCI research program at UC. AB 190 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
  3. AB 1931 (Torrico), Chapter 457, Statutes of 2010, eliminated the sunset date for the Roman Reed Act and specified that the administration of the SCI funds from the treasurer’s office to the UC.
  4. AB 1794 (Dutra), Chapter 414, Statutes of 2004, renewed the Roman Reed Act Funding for an additional five years.
  5. AB 750 (Dutra), Chapter 777, Statues of 2000, created the original Roman Reed Act with GF appropriations for spinal cord injury research.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Aivita Biomedical
Americans for Cures Foundation
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
California Life Sciences Association
Miami Project to Cure Paralysis

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Marissa Kraynak / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097