BILL NUMBER: HR 37	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 31, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 24, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hill

                        AUGUST 7, 2012

   Relative to umbilical cord blood banking.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
             HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST



   WHEREAS, Umbilical cord blood is rich in hematopoietic, or
blood-forming, stem cells, similar to those found in bone marrow.
Therefore, cord blood can be used as an alternative to bone marrow in
transplants; and
   WHEREAS, Since the first umbilical cord blood transplant in 1988,
the systems for collecting umbilical cord blood for both public and
private use have grown rapidly, both as a treatment for over 80
medical conditions and as an investigational therapy in numerous
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved clinical
trials; and
   WHEREAS, The umbilical cord blood industry has grown rapidly and
umbilical cord blood is currently used to treat blood cancers, such
as leukemia, myeloma, and lymphoma, and more than 80 inherited
immunodeficiencies and other genetic and acquired blood diseases,
including sickle cell anemia, thalassemias, hemoglobinopathies,
aplastic anemias, and marrow failure disorders, and inherited
disorders or errors of metabolism; and 
   WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Assembly to assist families who
have newborns scoring three or less on the activity, pulse, grimace,
appearance, and respiration (Apgar) scale by providing the families
access to the stem cells of the newborn. These children have a
greater likelihood of developing neurological disabilities that may
be helped by advancements in regenerative medicine and stem cell
research to treat diseases like brain injury, cerebral palsy (CP),
and hearing loss; and  
   WHEREAS, According to a 2010 study published in the British
Medical Journal, a low Apgar score was strongly associated with a
later diagnosis of CP. The prevalence of CP in children scoring less
than three on the Apgar scale was more than 130-fold higher than in
children with a score of 10; and  
   WHEREAS, Clinical trials looking at umbilical cord blood stem
cells and CP are ongoing. Dr. James Carroll, pediatric neurologist at
Georgia Health Sciences University, received the first FDA clearance
to run a clinical trial using a child's own umbilical cord blood
stem cells as a potential therapy for children with CP. Other
clinical trials also have been approved by the FDA to evaluate the
use of a child's own umbilical cord blood in regenerative therapies
for diseases and conditions that could not previously be treated,
such as hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, and juvenile diabetes;
and  
   WHEREAS, There is growing evidence of the restorative potential of
umbilical cord blood stem cells, and indications that many future
therapies may come from cells using the patient's own immune system;
and 
   WHEREAS, There are seven  low-Apgar  
low-activity, pulse, grimace, appearance, and respiration (Apgar)
 umbilical cord blood stem cell collection programs  using
regenerative medicine  already in place in California, located
at Providence Health Systems in southern California, Southwest
Healthcare System at Inland Valley Medical Center, Southwest
Healthcare System at Rancho Springs Medical Center, Hoag Memorial
Hospital in Newport Beach, Washington Hospital in Fremont, John Muir
Medical Center in Walnut Creek, and Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City;
and
   WHEREAS, These hospitals contract with an accredited umbilical
cord blood bank that provides collection kits and processing in order
to provide this service, under a memorandum of understanding. As
part of the contract, training is provided to ensure quality
collection, sufficient collection volume, and sterility to ensure
eligibility for acceptance in FDA-regulated clinical trials 
for CP ; and
   WHEREAS, Not all umbilical cord blood samples collected
specifically for public banks and bone marrow or cord blood
transplants are available for transplantation; and
   WHEREAS, The remaining public banking units should be provided to
research institutions to explore the potential of umbilical cord
blood stem cells to treat many debilitating and lethal medical
conditions; and
   WHEREAS, The federal government enacted the Stem Cell Therapeutic
and Research Act of 2005 to collect and maintain umbilical cord blood
for public use in transplantation and research; and
   WHEREAS, The National Marrow Donor Program, in a recent plea to
states to help increase the national umbilical cord blood public
inventory, declared that states can help expand the number of
publicly available umbilical cord blood units by appropriating
additional resources for the collection and storage of units; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
Assembly encourages acute care hospitals to participate in free
collection programs for umbilical cord blood and cord tissue in order
to maximize the potential medical benefits that umbilical cord blood
therapies can provide; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Assembly encourages acute care hospitals to
participate in free collection programs that provide parents of
children born in those hospitals  who have an activity,
pulse, grimace, appearance, and respiration (Apgar) score of three or
less at five minutes,  with the option of storing the child'
s umbilical cord blood and cord tissue, at no cost to the parent, in
order that the umbilical cord blood and cord tissue may be used for
therapeutic purposes as therapies become medically available; and be
it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the State Department of Public Health and the
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.