20250AB__222899INT INTRODUCED 2026-02-19 2025 AB INT Introduced by Assembly Member Lee LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lee

An act to amend

Section of, and to add

Section 104336.5 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to medical research, making an appropriation therefore, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. medical research, making an appropriation therefore, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999.

Existing law, the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, creates the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program within the University of California and authorizes the university to establish a spinal cord injury research fund, independent of the State Treasury, to accept public and private funds for purposes of spinal cord injury research, as specified. This bill would appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund to the spinal cord injury research fund authorized by the above act, to be spent at a rate of $1,000,000 per year, without regard to fiscal year, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year.

Existing law, the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Bond Act of 2020, added by initiative measure enacted by the voters by Proposition at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, authorizes the state to sell a specified amount in general obligations bonds primarily for the purposes of stem cell research and the development of new medical treatments. If Proposition funding is obtained for the purpose of funding a spinal cord injury research project, as provided, this bill would authorize the university to deposit those funds in an established specified spinal cord injury research fund.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. SEVENTY_PERCENT YES YES NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 104336. (

a) The University of California may establish a spinal cord injury research fund, independent of the State Treasury, to accept public and private funds for the purpose of implementing this chapter. (b)

(1) Any money obtained through the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Bond Act of 2020 (commencing with

Section 125291.90) for the purposes of funding a spinal cord injury research project established pursuant to this

chapter may be deposited in the fund authorized pursuant to subdivision (a).

(2) This subdivision shall be implemented only to the extent that it is consistent with the purpose of the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Bond Act of 2020.

SEC.

Section 104336.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code , to read: 104336.5. (

a) The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the spinal cord injury research fund authorized pursuant to the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, to be spent at a rate of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per year, without regard to fiscal year, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year. (

b) This

section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2031, and as of that date is inoperative, and is repealed on January 1, 2032.

SEC. 3. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of

Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to address the significant adverse health impacts of spinal cord injuries, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.