HB 751

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to adult human and animal stem cell
3	research; establishing the Florida Gulf Coast University
4	Institute for Stem Cell Biology; providing the purpose of
5	the institute; providing an appropriation; providing an
6	effective date.
7
8	WHEREAS, an estimated 128 million Americans suffer from the
9	crippling economic and psychological burden of chronic,
10	degenerative, and acute diseases and conditions, including
11	juvenile diabetes, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease,
12	sickle cell disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease,
13	spinal cord injuries, birth defects, osteoporosis, severe burn
14	injuries, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and
15	HIV/AIDS, and
16	WHEREAS, the costs of treatment and lost productivity as a
17	result of these diseases and conditions in the United States
18	constitute hundreds of billions of dollars every year, and
19	WHEREAS, human stem cell research is a key area of
20	regenerative medicine which offers immense promise for
21	developing new medical therapies and potential cures for these
22	debilitating diseases and conditions and a critical means to
23	explore fundamental questions of biology, and
24	WHEREAS, the United States has historically been a haven
25	for open scientific inquiry and technological innovation, and
26	this environment, combined with the commitment of public and
27	private resources, has made this nation the preeminent world
28	leader in biomedicine and biotechnology, and
29	WHEREAS, the biomedical industry is a critical and growing
30	component of Florida's economy and would be significantly
31	diminished by limitations imposed on human stem cell research,
32	and
33	WHEREAS, open scientific inquiry and publicly funded
34	research will be essential to realizing the promise of stem cell
35	research and maintaining this state's leadership in biomedicine
36	and biotechnology, and
37	WHEREAS, publicly funded adult stem cell research,
38	conducted under established standards of open scientific
39	exchange, peer review, and public oversight, offers the most
40	timely, efficacious, and responsible means of fulfilling the
41	promise of stem cells to provide regenerative medical therapies
42	and to accelerate the development of new diagnostic and
43	prophylactic capabilities for the early detection of
44	debilitating, incurable diseases, and
45	WHEREAS, stem cell research, including the use of embryonic
46	stem cells for medical research, raises significant ethical and
47	public policy concerns, and, although not unique, the ethical
48	and policy concerns associated with stem cell research must be
49	carefully considered, and
50	WHEREAS, in 2004, 30 states proposed 78 bills relating to
51	stem cell research, and nine states enacted legislation to
52	approve state funding of this research, and
53	WHEREAS, the State of Florida, with its rich legacy of
54	world leadership in scientific research and discovery, is
55	actively promoting the development of biotechnology because of
56	its potentially great importance to the state's economy as well
57	as the health of its residents, and
58	WHEREAS, the Legislature desires to foster research that
59	will advance the state of medical and scientific knowledge,
60	offer enormous potential to save human lives and treat
61	debilitating, incurable diseases, and allow the State of Florida
62	to have a significant role in the emerging biomedical technology
63	field, to the benefit of all of its residents, NOW, THEREFORE,
64
65	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
66
67	Section 1.  Florida Gulf Coast University Institute for
68	Stem Cell Biology.--
69	(1)  There is established the Florida Gulf Coast University
70	Institute for Stem Cell Biology under the supervision of the
71	university president or his or her designee. The institute shall
72	operate as a consortium of state universities. The consortium
73	may include, but is not limited to, private universities, health
74	care facilities, and governmental entities.
75	(2)  The purpose of the institute is to conduct stem cell
76	research involving adult human stem cells, umbilical cord blood
77	stem cells, or model animal stem cells that target the
78	development of platform technologies and capabilities for novel
79	therapies and diagnostics. The institute shall ensure the rapid
80	and seamless transition of basic and applied research to
81	clinical evaluation and commercialization.
82	Section 2.  The sum of $32 million is appropriated from the
83	General Revenue Fund to the Florida Gulf Coast University to
84	operate the Institute for Stem Cell Biology during the 2006-2007
85	fiscal year and to plan, construct, and equip a facility for the
86	institute.
87	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.