SCR 120, as introduced, Hill. Biotechnology Day.
This measure would declare April 7, 2016, and every April 7 thereafter, as Biotechnology Day in California.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, California is the global leader in the life sciences
2industry; and
3WHEREAS, This great state is home to the entire continuum
4of the life sciences industry, including world class universities,
5basic research centers, biotechnology start-ups, and anchor
6biopharmaceutical companies; and
7WHEREAS, There are currently 2,848 life sciences companies
8in California, with 212 more companies than in 2014, generating
9$130 billion in revenue; and
10WHEREAS, California life sciences companies directly employ
11281,000 people all over the State of California, with concentrations
12in the San Francisco Bay area, San Diego, Orange County, and
13Los Angeles; and
P2 1WHEREAS, The life sciences are an economic driver in
2California, a place where cutting-edge businesses thrive; and
3WHEREAS, California has a concentration of research in the
4life sciences industry; and
5WHEREAS, California companies have 1,235 potential new
6medicines in the pipeline and life science innovations have a
7tremendous impact on the world’s health and well-being; and
8WHEREAS, New medicines and technologies emerging from
9California companies and research institutions are likely to have
10a remarkable impact on the health of the world’s population and
11help those afflicted with serious diseases, such as cancer, cystic
12fibrosis, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis;
13and
14WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, Herb Boyer at the University
15of California and geneticist Stanley Cohen at Stanford University
16pioneered a new scientific field called recombinant DNA
17technology; and
18WHEREAS, Venture capitalist, Bob Swanson, who was excited
19by recombinant DNA technology’s potential to help people, and
20Herb Boyer together founded the first biotechnology company,
21Genentech, in South San Francisco; and
22WHEREAS, The founding of Genentech on April 7, 1976,
23marked the birth of the biotechnology industry and planted the
24industry’s roots in California; and
25WHEREAS, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, remains
26a leader in the biotechnology industry and continues to advance
27its mission of transforming the lives of people with serious
28diseases; and
29WHEREAS, The biotechnology industry inspires the next
30generation of scientists to help solve challenges like disease,
31energy, and food security; and
32WHEREAS, The biotechnology industry generates nearly $259
33billion in economic activity in California, provides more than one
34million jobs, and is the source of billions of dollars in state and
35local tax revenue; and
36WHEREAS, The largest and most influential biotechnology
37convention in the world, the BIO International Convention, will
38take place in San Francisco, California, from June 6th to June 9th,
392016, with more than 15,000 anticipated attendees; and
P3 1WHEREAS, San Francisco hosted this convention in 1995 and
2San Diego will host it in 2017, while the State of California has
3hosted this convention five other times; and
4WHEREAS, The BIO International Convention is where the
5global biotech community meets, connecting the people,
6companies, and innovations that help to fulfill the promise of
7biotechnology through healing, fueling, and feeding the world;
8now, therefore, be it
9Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
10thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby recognizes April
117, 2016, and every April 7th thereafter, as Biotechnology Day in
12California; and be it further
13Resolved, That the Senate urges Californians to recognize the
14value and importance of the life sciences industry; and be it further
15Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
16this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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