Texas will ask voters to approve $3 billion to study dementia

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Texas voters will decide whether to spend $3 billion in state funds on dementia research after Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 5 into law over the weekend.

Both chambers voted earlier this session to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, to study dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other brain conditions. Modeled after Texas’ cancer institute, the new initiative was a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and received bipartisan support from the majority of lawmakers.

But it’s not up to them whether taxpayer dollars can be used to fund this project. The funding mechanism for SB 5 is through Senate Joint Resolution 3, which the Legislature has approved. This prompts voters to be asked at the next election whether they want to allocate $3 billion of general revenue to this work.

“I don't know [any one] in this House who doesn't have a family member or a friend or a neighbor … impacted by dementia or Alzheimer's,” said Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a Houston Democrat, from the House floor last month. “This Constitutional Amendment gives us the funding to do the research so that we can give those persons who are impacted with these dreadful diseases a better quality of life.”

Thompson and Rep. Tom Craddick, a Midland Republican, who both have pushed for a bill like this for several years, earlier in the session implored their colleagues to vote for the measure.

“We're one of the leading states with Alzheimer's in the country,” Craddick said. “This could be the way we can solve it … This isn't a party vote. This is a vote for the people in the state of Texas.”

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