BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Gloria Romero, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 471
AUTHOR: Romero and Steinberg
AMENDED: April 22, 2009
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: April 29, 2009
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Beth Graybill
SUBJECT : Education: Stem Cell and Biotechnology Education
and Workforce
Development.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the Stem Cell and Biotechnology
Education and Workforce Development Act of 2009, requires
specified activities relating to stem cell education and
workforce development, and states findings and declarations
relating to stem cell science and regenerative medicine.
BACKGROUND
Proposition 71, approved by California voters in November
2004, authorized
$3 billion in state bond funding for stem cell research and
established the California Institute for Regenerative
Medicine (CIRM) to regulate stem cell research and provide
funding for such research and research facilities.
Proposition 71 also established an Independent Citizens
Oversight Committee (ICOC) to govern CIRM, established a
constitutional right to conduct stem cell research, and
prohibited funding of human reproductive cloning research.
Existing law provides for the establishment and maintenance
of the California Subject Matter Projects (CSMP) for the
purpose of developing and enhancing teachers' subject matter
knowledge and instructional strategies in order to improve
student learning and academic performance in core content
areas, including science.
Existing law provides for the operation of the California
State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
through the University of California (UC). The 2009-10
Budget Act provides $1.897 million for this program.
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In March 2009, the State Board of Education (SBE) unanimously
adopted a proposal to include stem cell science in the
science curriculum and include the content in the update of
the 2010 Science Frameworks.
ANALYSIS
This bill :
1) Requires the California Department of Education
(CDE), in consultation with CIRM and representatives of
the biotechnology industry, to promote stem cell and
biotechnology education and workforce development in its
existing programs such as the California Partnership
Academies, the California Resource Network, regional
science resource centers, the K-12 High Speed Network,
and other specified entities.
2) Requires the California Department of Education (CDE)
to post on its Internet Web site, information and links
about:
a) Existing biotechnology education programs as
specified.
b) CIRM education initiatives and related stem
cell education and workforce development programs.
3) Requests the Regents of the University of California
to consult with California Institute for Regenerative
Medicine (CIRM) and representatives of the biotechnology
industry in developing curriculum for California State
Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS).
4) Requires the State Board of Education to incorporate
stem cell science curriculum content into the next
revision of the Science Curriculum Framework.
5) Requires the Science Subject Matter Project, upon
agreement by the Regents of the University of
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California, in consultation with CIRM and
representatives of the biotechnology industry, to
include stem cell and biotechnology science in
professional development programs for educators.
6) Requests the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee
(ICOC), when allocating funds for stem cell research and
facilities, to consider education and workforce
development in addition to other criteria with the goal
of furthering this article.
7) States findings and declarations of the Legislature
relating to stem cell research and science, and the need
for all education, policymakers and institutions of
public education, and all relevant public agencies and
industry organizations to collaborate and make it a
priority to increase stem cell and biotechnology
education and workforce development.
COMMENTS
1) Stem cell research . According to the analysis
provided by the Legislative Analyst for Proposition 71,
stem cell research may provide information on the
complex events that occur during human development that
lead to serious medical conditions and birth defects.
Stem cells differ from other cells in that they are
unspecialized, can, under certain circumstances, be
transformed into cells with specialized functions, and
are capable of reproducing themselves, which allow them
to serve as a repair system for the body.
The various types of stem cells have different potential
for treating disease. Researchers indicate that stem
cells could be used to test the safety of drugs and
offer the possibility of a renewable source of
replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases such as
cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, heart disease,
diabetes, or to treat spinal cord injuries.
To date, the CIRM governing board has approved more than
$693 million in research and facilities grants and is
currently considered to be the largest source for
embryonic and pluripotent stem cell research in the
world. In March 2009, President Obama signed an
executive order lifting restrictions on federal funding
for stem cell research and directing the Secretary of
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Health and Human Services to support and conduct
responsible, scientifically worthy human stem cell
research, including human embryonic stem cell research
to the extent permitted by law. To the extent that
industry, research institutions, and schools can work
together to address the education and training necessary
to fill positions in the stem cell field, SB 471 could
enable California to maintain the momentum initiated
through Proposition 71 and build a regenerative medicine
infrastructure that will generate jobs, contribute to
the economy, and help California maintain a competitive
edge in this emerging field of medicine.
2) California State Summer School for Mathematics and
Science . COSMOS is a four-week residential program for
talented math and science students in grades eight
through twelve. Students work side-by-side with
outstanding university researchers and faculty exploring
advanced topics that extend beyond the typical high
school curriculum. COSMOS courses offer hands-on lab
intensive learning opportunities that emphasize current
research at the University of California (UC).
3) California Science Project (CSP) . The UC maintains
the subject matter projects, in collaboration with an
intersegmental concurrence committee, for the purpose of
providing professional development that is aligned to
the K-12 content standards. As such, it may make sense
to postpone the requirement for the CSP to include stem
cell and biotechnology science until after the SBE has
adopted the revised Science Curriculum Framework in
2010. Additionally, staff notes that the 2009-10 Budget
Act allocates $9.35 million in state and federal funding
to support the California Subject Matter Projects
(CSMPs). It is unclear whether the CSMP has the
capacity within this budget to develop training specific
to biotechnology and stem cell research. Postponing the
requirement to 2011 would allow the CSMP to account for
this workload in planning its 2010-11 budget and develop
training that is aligned to what the SBE adopts.
Accordingly, staff recommends amending the bill to
postpone the CSP requirement until January 1, 2011.
SUPPORT
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BIOCOM
OPPOSITION
California Catholic Conference