1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; creating a grant program for spinal cord injury and traumatic 
1.3 	brain injury research; establishing the spinal cord and traumatic brain injury 
1.4 	advisory committee; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in 
1.5 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. TITLE.
 1.8 	This act may be cited as the "Jablonski/Rodreick Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain 
1.9 	Injury Grant Program."

1.10 	Sec. 2. [144.666] SPINAL CORD INJURY AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 
1.11 	RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM.
1.12 		Subdivision 1.Grant program. The commissioner of health shall establish a grant 
1.13 	program to award grants to publicly funded research institutions for research into spinal 
1.14 	cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. Grants shall be awarded to conduct research 
1.15 	into new and innovative treatments and rehabilitative efforts for spinal cord and traumatic 
1.16 	brain injuries. The commissioner, in consultation with the advisory committee established 
1.17 	under section 144.667, shall award half of the grant funds for research involving spinal 
1.18 	cord injuries, and half to research involving traumatic brain injuries.
1.19 		Subd. 2.Report. By January 15, 2015, and each January 15 thereafter, the 
1.20 	commissioner shall report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and 
1.21 	house of representatives committees having jurisdiction over health care policy and 
1.22 	funding, specifying the institutions receiving grants under this section and the purposes for 
1.23 	which the grant funds were used.

2.1 	Sec. 3. [144.667] SPINAL CORD AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 
2.2 	ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
2.3 		Subdivision 1.Membership. The commissioner shall appoint an eight-member 
2.4 	advisory committee consisting of:
2.5 	(1) one member representing the University of Minnesota Medical School;
2.6 	(2) one member representing the Courage Center;
2.7 	(3) one member who is a neurosurgeon;
2.8 	(4) one member who has a spinal cord injury or has a family member with a spinal 
2.9 	cord injury;
2.10 	(5) one member who has a traumatic brain injury or has a family member with 
2.11 	a traumatic brain injury;
2.12 	(6) one member who is a physician specializing in the treatment of spinal cord injury;
2.13 	(7) one member who is a physician specializing in the treatment of traumatic brain 
2.14 	injury; and
2.15 	(8) one member who is a rehabilitative specialist.
2.16 		Subd. 2.Organization. The advisory committee shall be organized and 
2.17 	administered under section 15.059, except that section 15.059, subdivision 2, shall not 
2.18 	apply. The commissioner shall appoint committee members to one- or two-year terms 
2.19 	and appoint one member as chair. Notwithstanding section 15.059, subdivision 5, the 
2.20 	advisory committee does not expire.
2.21 		Subd. 3.Duties. The advisory committee shall:
2.22 	(1) develop criteria for evaluating and awarding the research grants under section 
2.23 	144.666;
2.24 	(2) review research proposals and make recommendations to the commissioner for 
2.25 	purposes of awarding grants under section 144.666; and
2.26 	(3) perform other duties as authorized by the commissioner.

2.27 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION.
 2.28 	$4,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2015 is appropriated 
2.29 	from the general fund to the commissioner of health for the grants authorized in Minnesota 
2.30 	Statutes, section 144.666. $....... of the appropriation shall be used by the commissioner 
2.31 	to administer the grant program.