Today's Law As Amended


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SB-934 California Childhood Cancer Research Fund Act.(2021-2022)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.
 This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Childhood Cancer Research Fund Act.
SEC. 2.
 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children.
(b) In California, the age-adjusted death rate (per 100,000) of childhood cancer is 2.4. The national average is 2.2.
(c) According to a June 2018 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on geographic incidence rates of pediatric cancer in the United States, California has the highest incident rate for childhood leukemia in the country.
(d) Different racial and ethnic groups have differences in rates of the most common types of childhood cancer. For example, from 2013 to 2017, inclusive, among children 0 to 14 years of age, inclusive, Hispanic children had nearly twice the rate of leukemia as Black children. In 2014 to 2018, inclusive, rates of brain and other central nervous system tumors were higher in White children than all other racial and ethnic groups.
(e) In California, the five-year relative survival rate for children and adolescents diagnosed between 2007 and 2016 for all cancers combined was 83.3 percent, but survival rates vary considerably depending on cancer type, patient age, ethnicity, sex, and other characteristics.
(f) More than 95 percent of childhood cancer survivors will have significant health-related issues by the time they are 45 years of age. These survivors will need followup care and enhanced medical surveillance for the rest of their lives because of the risk of health complications.
(g) California is currently appropriating no funds to combat childhood cancer even though the disease affects approximately 2,000 California children annually, and approximately 36 children are diagnosed per week.
(h) The National Cancer Institute spends the vast majority of its research budget on adult cancers.
(i) Other states, including Kentucky, Texas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are funding pediatric cancer research, but more resources are needed.
(j) California is uniquely situated to advance pediatric cancer research given its size, diversity, and population. California has significant expertise available from the talented medical professionals and research institutions in the state.

SEC. 3.

 Article 4 (commencing with Section 104215) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

Article  4. Childhood Cancer Research Grant Program
104215.
 (a) (1) The Legislature hereby requests the University of California to establish and administer the Childhood Cancer Research Grant Program, which is hereby created. The purpose of the grant program is to provide funding to qualified research institutions to support research for California children impacted by cancer and study the long-term effects of treatment.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that this program be consistent with best practices for state-funded health research programs and staffed with applicable expertise.
(3) It is the intent of the Legislature that the University of California administer the program to ensure an impartial, high-quality review system.
(b) The Childhood Cancer Research Council is hereby established to develop the strategic objectives and priorities of the program. The council shall consist of seven members, appointed as follows:
(1) Two specialists in pediatric oncology from hospitals or other research institutions in California, each appointed by the Governor.
(2) One specialist in pediatric oncology from a hospital or other research institution in California, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(3) One specialist in pediatric oncology from a hospital or other research institution in California, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(4) Two childhood cancer survivors or parents of a childhood cancer survivor, each appointed by the Governor.
(5) A representative of the American Childhood Cancer Organization, appointed by the Governor.
(c) The program shall receive and evaluate applications of qualifying research institutions for grants to conduct research relating to the causes, prevention, screening, treatment, and cure of childhood cancer, including the effects experienced by patients following completion of a course of treatment.
(d) (1) The Childhood Cancer Research Council shall make the final recommendations to the University of California on which research grants should be funded based on the research priorities established for the program and the technical merits of the proposals as determined by peer review panels.
(2) The university shall work in close collaboration with the council and seek the consent of the council before taking an action different from the action recommended by the council.
(3) Members of the Childhood Cancer Research Council shall serve without compensation, but may receive reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of their official duties. A member of the council shall be ineligible to apply for or receive funding for childhood cancer research from the Childhood Cancer Research Grant Program during their term of service on the council, and for one cycle immediately following their term of service on the council, if the council member helped plan that subsequent cycle.
(4) Membership shall be staggered in such a way as to maintain a full council while ensuring a reasonable degree of continuity of expertise and consistency of direction.
(e) For the purposes of this section, a “qualified research institution” includes, but is not limited to, an academic research institution, state or local governmental agencies, and public or private organizations within California conducting a pediatric cancer research project.
(f) No later than January 1, 2025, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Childhood Cancer Research Council shall submit a report to the Legislature on grants made, grants in progress, program accomplishments, and future program directions. The report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following information:
(1) The number and dollar amounts of research grants.
(2) The subject of research grants.
(3) The name of each qualified research institution receiving grant awards.
(4) A summary of research findings.
104216.
 (a) The Andrew Hirschman Childhood Cancer Research Fund is hereby created for the implementation and administration of the grant program. Moneys in the fund shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature.
(b) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to transfer moneys from the General Fund to the Andrew Hirschman Childhood Cancer Research Fund, to be made available to the University of California for administration of the grant program.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that no more than 5 percent of the moneys in the Andrew Hirschman Childhood Cancer Research Fund be used for the purpose of the administration of the grant program.
104217.
 This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed.