2013. She stresses that for the results to be different, “the voters of Texas are going to have to let their senators know that this is an issue that matters to them.”
The lawmaker calls on physicians to help rally support around the legislation next session. “People understand that smoking is harmful, but they do not understand the true danger of secondhand smoke. Phy- sicians can help by speaking out publicly about the true danger of secondhand smoke. I think once the public is educat- ed the arguments against a smoking ban will pale in comparison to the value of human life,” Representative Crownover said.
Sen. Bob Deuell, MD (R-Greenville), was among those opposed to the smok- ing ban. “While I personally wish smoking
would be banned in all public places, I think the decision should be that of the property owner. I think a smoking ban as proposed would be a violation of our state and federal constitutions. As a state senator, I took an oath to uphold those documents,” Senator Deuell said. He adds he thinks Texas is “headed for a smoke-free society. The good news is that it will be of free choice and not big brother government.” HB 46 was reported out of the House Committee on Appropriations. SB 28 was approved by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and referred for consideration by the full Senate. Nei- ther bill advanced. Joel Dunnington, MD, a Houston
diagnostic radiologist, says the legisla- ture’s failure to pass a ban on smoking in public places will have a detrimental impact on the health of Texans and the state’s economy.
“In terms of Medicaid dollars and
other state and county health districts, they’re going to have to spend more money caring for Texans who suffer from smoking-related diseases,” he said. A Texas Health and Human Services
Commission (HHSC) analysis of the ef- fect of comprehensive smoking bans on Medicaid spending concluded they like- ly will reduce annual Medicaid costs of hospitalizations for heart attack, stroke,
and respiratory illness in Texas by 9.2 percent in 2012 alone. HHSC found the effect of the ordinances on health out- comes increases over time.
The commission estimates the state
could realize Medicaid savings of $6.4 million in general revenue funds for fiscal year 2012, with the potential for higher savings later At the beginning of this legislative
CPRIT receives full funding
In spite of the financial challenges state agencies faced this ses- sion, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) emerged with full funding. The Texas Legislature provided $600 million for 2012–13. By com- parison, the legislature approved $450 million for 2010–11. “These additional dollars will further the chances of finding
groundbreaking discoveries in cancer prevention and treatment that can be commercialized to make them available to the general public and cancer patients,” said CPRIT Chief Operating Officer Heidi Mc- Connell. As provided by Texas law, 10 percent of the funds available —
$57.4 million over the next two years — will be allocated toward prevention grants. The legislature allocated $45 million for preven- tion for 2010–11. She says with full funding, CPRIT will be able to invest 33 percent
more in cancer research in the next two years than it was able to in 2010–11. CPRIT will also be able to invest 32 percent more funds in evidence-based cancer prevention programs that provide needed screening services to medically underserved populations, training for health care professionals, and cancer awareness and education programs around the state, she says. Additional legislative successes will augment CPRIT’s operations. Ms. McConnell says Senate Bill 1421 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flow- er Mound) allows private entities to protect intellectual property submitted to CPRIT as part of an application for cancer research funding, as well as intellectual property and other proprietary tech- nical information filed with CPRIT. SB 1421 extends that protection to the same type of information submitted to CPRIT from research- ers at private universities, research institutes, and companies. CPRIT’s statute requires all grant awards to have a revenue-shar-
ing agreement. CPRIT collects royalty and milestone payments, but SB 1421 expands the revenue-sharing options to allow the institute to take equity or securities in a company. Ms. McConnell says this option gives CPRIT more flexibility to maximize any return on the state’s investment. Governor Perry signed SB 1421, and it takes effect Sept. 1.
August 2011 TEXAS MEDICINE 43
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