Pennsylvania HB 704: An Act establishing the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program and the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program Fund; and imposing duties on the Department of Health.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1437 PRINTER'S NO. 1713
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 704
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MULLINS, CUTLER, SCHLOSSBERG, NEILSON, McNEILL,
KHAN, FLICK, JAMES, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, PIELLI, HANBIDGE, HILL-
EVANS, CIRESI, MENTZER, HOWARD, DONAHUE, BRENNAN, McANDREW,
FREEMAN, PICKETT, DELLOSO, TWARDZIK, O'MARA, FLEMING, DEASY,
CERRATO, GREEN, GILLEN, POWELL, WAXMAN, PROKOPIAK, T. DAVIS,
PASHINSKI, WEBSTER, STEELE, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, MAYES, MALAGARI,
SHUSTERMAN, BOROWSKI, OLSOMMER, INGLIS, KENYATTA, BURGOS,
GAYDOS, SCHMITT, STAATS, MERSKI, DOUGHERTY, WARREN, SOLOMON
AND BRIGGS, APRIL 22, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, MAY 14, 2025
AN ACT
Establishing the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program and
the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program Fund; and
imposing duties on the Department of Health.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the
Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Biorepository." An entity that receives, stores, processes
or disseminates biospecimens, the derivatives of biospecimens or
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relevant data regarding biospecimens.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Eligible applicant." An institution engaged in
neurodegenerative disease research.
"Fund." The Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program Fund
established under section 5(a).
"Institution." Any of the following located in this
Commonwealth:
(1) An academic clinical research entity that conducts
neurodegenerative disease research.
(2) An institution of higher education that conducts
neurodegenerative disease research.
"INSTITUTION." AN ACADEMIC CLINICAL MEDICAL CENTER LOCATED
IN THIS COMMONWEALTH THAT CONDUCTS NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE
RESEARCH.
"Neurodegenerative disease." Conditions characterized by the
progressive loss of nerve cells in the brain or spinal cord,
leading to functional decline and often resulting in
debilitating conditions such as dementia or movement disorders,
including, but not limited to, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,
Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease or Parkinson's
disease.
"Neurodegenerative disease research." Health research on
neurodegenerative diseases. The term includes:
(1) Biomedical research.
(2) Clinical research.
(3) Health services research.
(4) Research regarding the establishment of a Statewide
biorepository.
(5) Research regarding a Statewide tissue bank.
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"Program." The Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program
established under section 3(a).
"Tissue bank." An entity that is licensed, accredited or
regulated under Federal or State law to engage in the recovery,
screening, testing, processing, storage or distribution of
tissue.
Section 3. Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Neurodegenerative Disease Research
Program is established within the department.
(b) Purpose.--The program shall provide grants to eligible
applicants to fund neurodegenerative disease research projects
on neurodegenerative disease and related infrastructure.
(c) Administration.--The department shall implement and
administer the program in accordance with this act.
(d) Application form.--
(1) The department shall develop an application form
which must be completed and approved before an eligible
applicant can receive a grant under the program.
(2) The application form under this subsection must
include:
(i) Eligibility criteria to receive a grant under
the program.
(ii) Deadlines for submittal of a completed
application form.
(iii) Information to be submitted with a completed
application, including:
(A) Contact information.
(B) Proof of eligibility for a grant under the
program.
(C) The purpose and amount of the requested
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grant under the program.
(iv) Certification that the proposed research has
undergone appropriate Institutional Review Board review,
INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE REVIEW and
peer review as necessary.
(3) The department shall post the application form under
this subsection on its publicly accessible Internet website.
(e) Determination.--The department shall develop a process
for:
(1) The submittal and review of a completed application
form for grants under the program, including a timeline for
making a determination on the application and notice of the
award of grants under the program.
(2) The disbursement of grants under the program to
eligible applicants, including any limit on the amount of a
grant disbursed to an