FIRST HEARING: RENEW ROMAN’S LAW, HELP END PARALYSIS!
Mark your calendar! Tuesday, April 13, Room 4202, 1:30 PM, Sacramento Capitol
Dear Supporter of Research for Cure:
We need a letter from you. Why? California’s Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999 (named after my paralyzed son) is up for renewal this year. This law paid for the first state-funded embryonic stem cell research in America, re-insulating damaged spinal nerves. Laboratory rats so badly paralyzed they could only drag themselves are scampering now; the study may go to human trials this Summer with Geron. The same research may also help cure Spinal Muscular Atrophy, (SMA, a vicious condition which kills children, often before the age of two), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and other disorders.
The renewal bill has its first hearing April 13th, 1:30, Sacramento Capitol, Room 4202. Come if you can; support us with letters and email, even if you cannot join us in person. Remember, if a bill is defeated in just one committee, it is dead. So help us now.
Please write to: Assemblyman William Monning, Assembly Health Committee Chair, California State Assembly, State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814, with CC e-mail to: ryan.spencer@asm.ca.gov, and the committee members below.
“Roman’s Law” has helped train new scientists with fellowship grants, and assisted veterans to develop new approaches, from a variation of the Petri dish to pioneering new methods of rehabilitation and repair. In addition to 175 published scientific papers, two patents pending which may advance the biomedical industry, and several major scientific breakthroughs, our research brought new money to California.
Here’s how it works:
The program spends $1.5 million a year, but also attracts matching grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources. Our total funding of $14 million was matched by $60 million from out of state—new jobs and revenue for California.
But you know how tough the situation is in Sacramento! The last time our law was up for renewal, we received virtually unanimous approval—a yes vote from every Assemblymember and Senator except one! This year, because of the financial thunderstorms in Sacramento, the votes will be very close, and could go either way.
“Roman’s Law” is beautiful; we must not let it die. Senator Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont) is leading the charge: do not let him fight alone. Hearings begin in April. He needs support from individuals and groups everywhere—paralysis knows no boundaries.
Want to see the program? Go to https://www.reeve.uci.edu/Research/RomanReed.aspx
Letters are best, but emails are good too. Group endorsements are wonderful, but if you cannot get approval through the group’s process in time, you can write as an individual member of the group, for purposes of identification: that does not commit your group.
Even the shortest letter will help: “My family supports AB 1931, the renewal of the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act” has impact—if you send it.
On behalf of every person in a wheelchair, I ask your help. Thank you,
Don C. Reed
Citizen-sponsor, Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act
FIRST HEARING SET FOR ROMAN REED ACT RENEWAL: AB 1931
Tuesday, April 13th, 1:30 afternoon, Room 4202.
The Assembly Health Committee is chaired by Assemblyman William Monning. His Address is: The Honorable William Monning, Chair, Assembly Health Committee, State Capitol, Room 6005, Sacramento, CA 95814
Please send a hard copy letter of support to him, with email copy to the members. For more information, contact Don Reed at: diverdonreed@pacbell.net
In addition to e-mail, all of the members can be reached at the same address:
California State Assembly, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814
You should note in the first sentence supporting AB 1931 that the bill is in the Assembly Health Committee (example: “I support AB 1931, the renewal bill for the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act, which will soon be heard in the Assembly Health Committee”).