BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 714
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 1, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 714 (Wieckowski) - As Amended: April 2, 2013
Policy Committee: HealthVote:16-2
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill appropriates $2 million to the spinal cord injury
research fund authorized by the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury
Research Act of 1999 (Roman Reed Act).
FISCAL EFFECT
$2 million GF appropriation.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . 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. Over its 10-year
history, the fund provided approximately $1.5 million per year
for SCI research in the State of California. The Roman Reed
Act funds were allocated to UC, and administered by the
Reeve-Irvine Research Center (RIRC) at UC Irvine. The author
has introduced multiple bills over recent years to fund SCI
research.
AB 1657 (Wieckowski) of 2012 would have increased traffic
fines for this purpose but was vetoed. The governor called
SCI worthwhile but objected to the approach of using traffic
fines to pay for general fund activities. This bill responds
to the governor's veto message.
2)Background on Spinal Cord Injuries and Funding for Research .
According to the author, California is home to approximately
650,000 people living with paralysis, and this number is
AB 714
Page 2
increasing steadily. The author states that nationally,
someone suffers a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) every 41
minutes, adding anywhere from 12,000 to 20,000 new SCI
patients annually. According to a report prepared for AB
1657, a recent study commissioned by the Christopher and Dana
Reeve Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control reveals
approximately 5,600,000 Americans are afflicted by some form
of paralysis, and 1,275,000 individuals are living with a
catastrophic SCI. The report states this is five times higher
than earlier estimates of the prevalence of SCI in the United
States.
The author maintains the disability, loss of earning power,
and loss of personal freedom resulting from SCI are
devastating for the injured individual, and create a huge
financial burden for the state. The author asserts associated
health care costs and lost income potential cost the state
upwards of $1 billion per year. According to the author,
between 2000 and 2009, over 300 scientists, technical staff,
and students have participated in 129 Roman Reed Research
projects and the $15.1 million in state contributions to the
Roman Reed Fund leveraged $84 million in non-state funds, such
as from the National Institutes for Health (NIH). According
to a March 21, 2013 Los Angeles Times article, deep federal
budget cuts, known as sequestration, could lead to diminished
funding for medical and scientific research. According to the
article, UC Irvine receives $100 million from the NIH. The
money is used to fund stem cell, diabetes, and Alzheimer's
studies, including the campus' Institute for Memory Impairment
and Neurological disorder. A funding reduction of 5%-7% is
anticipated.
3)Funding Arguments . Supporters, such as Baybio, the California
Healthcare Institute and others note California's prominence
as a leader in neurological and SCI research. Don Reed, father
of Roman Reed writes in support that for every dollar invested
by the state more than four additional dollars have been
leveraged in federal research grants such as the NIH.
In opposition, the California Catholic Conference objects to
spending money on speculative research at a time when funding
for our state's safety net is being cut, asserting it is
highly inappropriate to divert money to University
researchers.
AB 714
Page 3
Analysis Prepared by : Debra Roth / APPR. / (916) 319-2081