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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Setting aside state funds for research into the |
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causes of and cures for degenerative and debilitating brain and |
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nervous conditions would make a difference in the lives of |
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countless Texans; and |
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WHEREAS, More than one million adults in the United States |
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are diagnosed annually with Alzheimer's disease or another |
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degenerative and debilitating brain and nervous condition, and many |
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of those affected live in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas ranks second in the nation in the number of |
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deaths from Alzheimer's disease and fourth in the nation in the |
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number of Alzheimer's cases; 380,000 Texans over age 65 have |
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Alzheimer's disease, according to the Texas Council on Alzheimer's |
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Disease and Related Disorders, which advises the Department of |
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State Health Services on needed action for the benefit of Texans |
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with Alzheimer's disease; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Council on Alzheimer's Disease and Related |
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Disorders believes that research into the causes of and cures for |
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Alzheimer's disease is imperative because the disease will become |
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more prevalent as the population ages, exacting huge human and |
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economic burdens on citizens and resources; the council notes in |
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its 2018 report that a new person develops Alzheimer's disease |
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every 65 seconds and that this rate will increase to one new case |
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every 33 seconds by 2050; and |
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WHEREAS, Other degenerative and debilitating brain and |
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nervous conditions will also become more prevalent as the |
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population in Texas ages; for example, Parkinson's disease, which |
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affects 52,500 people in the state, will affect nearly one million |
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people in the U.S. by 2020 and 1.2 million people by 2030; and |
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WHEREAS, A brain research institute of Texas could use state |
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bond proceeds or other revenues to fund research into the causes of |
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and cures for degenerative and debilitating brain and nervous |
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conditions, and a study would help to determine the practicality of |
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establishing such an institute; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house |
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of representatives to create a joint interim committee to study the |
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establishment of a brain research institute of Texas; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the committee submit a full report, including |
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findings and recommendations, to the 87th Texas Legislature before |
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it convenes in January 2021; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be |
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governed by such general rules and policies for interim committees |
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as the 86th Texas Legislature may adopt. |