2nd Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 02/22/2013 08:28am
A bill for an act
relating to health; creating a grant program for spinal cord injury and traumatic
brain injury research; establishing the spinal cord and traumatic brain injury
advisory council; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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This act may be cited as the "Jablonski/Rodreick spinal cord and traumatic brain
injury grant program."
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The commissioner of health shall establish a grant
program to award grants to institutions in Minnesota for research into spinal cord injuries
and traumatic brain injuries. Grants shall be awarded to conduct research into new and
innovative treatments and rehabilitative efforts for spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.
The commissioner, in consultation with the advisory council established under section
144.667, shall award half of the grant funds for research involving spinal cord injuries,
and half to research involving traumatic brain injuries.
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By January 15, 2015, and each January 15 thereafter, the
commissioner shall report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and
house of representatives committees having jurisdiction over health care policy and
funding, specifying the institutions receiving grants under this section and the purposes for
which the grant funds were used.
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The commissioner shall appoint an 11-member
advisory council consisting of:
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(1) one member representing the University of Minnesota Medical School;
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(2) one member representing the Mayo Medical School;
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(3) one member representing the Courage Center;
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(4) one member who is a neurosurgeon;
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(5) one member who has a spinal cord injury;
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(6) one member who is a family member of a person with a spinal cord injury;
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(7) one member who has a traumatic brain injury;
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(8) one member who is a family member of a person with a traumatic brain injury;
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(9) one member who is a physician specializing in the treatment of spinal cord injury;
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(10) one member who is a physician specializing in the treatment of traumatic
brain injury; and
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(11) one member who is a rehabilitative specialist.
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The advisory council shall be organized and administered
under section 15.059, except that section 15.059, subdivision 2, shall not apply. Except as
provided in subdivision 4, the commissioner shall appoint council members to two-year
terms and appoint one member as chair. Notwithstanding section 15.059, subdivision
5, the advisory council does not expire.
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The commissioner shall appoint
the first members of the council by September 1, 2013. The chair shall convene the first
meeting by November 1, 2013.
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The commissioner shall designate four
of the initial council members to serve a one-year term. The other five initial members
shall serve a two-year term.
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Council members must disclose in a written statement
any financial interest in any organization that the council recommends to receive a grant.
The written statement must accompany the grant recommendations and must explain the
nature of the conflict. The council is not subject to policies developed by the commissioner
of administration under section 16B.98.
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The advisory council shall:
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(1) develop criteria for evaluating and awarding the research grants under section
144.666;
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(2) review research proposals and make recommendations by January 15 of each
year to the commissioner for purposes of awarding grants under section 144.666; and
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(3) perform other duties as authorized by the commissioner.
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$....... for fiscal year 2014 and $....... for fiscal year 2015 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of health for the grants authorized in Minnesota
Statutes, section 144.666. $....... of the appropriation shall be used by the commissioner
to administer the grant program.
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