AB 2228: Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified March 10, 2026

What AB 2228 does, verified March 10, 2026

This bill aims to support spinal cord injury research in California by appropriating $5,000,000 from the general fund each year, starting with the 2026-27 fiscal year. The funds will be deposited into a spinal cord injury research fund, which will support research projects and initiatives. The bill also allows the University of California to accept public and private funds for spinal cord injury research purposes, if funding is obtained through the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Bond Act of 2020. The bill declares its urgency, allowing it to take effect immediately.

Bill journey

1IntroducedCurrent

2In CommitteePending

3First Chamber FloorPending

4Second ChamberPending

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: Referred to Com. on HEALTH. (2026-03-09)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Alex LeeAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions3 total · showing 3

Mar. 09, 2026	Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
Feb. 20, 2026	From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
Feb. 19, 2026	Read first time. To print.

Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 19, 2026 · 591 words

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2228

Introduced by Assembly Member Lee

February 19, 2026

An act to amend Section 140336 of, and to add Section 104336.5 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to medical research, making an appropriation therefore, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2228, as introduced, Lee. Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999.

Existing law, the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, creates the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program within the University of California and authorizes the university to establish a spinal cord injury research fund, independent of the State Treasury, to accept public and private funds for purposes of spinal cord injury research, as specified.

This bill would appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund to the spinal cord injury research fund authorized by the above act, to be spent at a rate of $1,000,000 per year, without regard to fiscal year, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year.

Existing law, the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Bond Act of 2020, added by initiative measure enacted by the voters by Proposition 14 at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, authorizes the state to sell a specified amount in general obligations bonds primarily for the purposes of stem cell research and the development of new medical treatments.

If Proposition 14 funding is obtained for the purpose of funding a spinal cord injury research project, as provided, this bill would authorize the university to deposit those funds in an established specified spinal cord injury research fund.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Vote: SEVENTY_PERCENT Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 104336 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

104336.

(a) The University of California may establish a spinal cord injury research fund, independent of the State Treasury, to accept public and private funds for the purpose of implementing this chapter.

(b) (1) Any money obtained through the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Bond Act of 2020 (commencing with Section 125291.90) for the purposes of funding a spinal cord injury research project established pursuant to this chapter may be deposited in the fund authorized pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2) This subdivision shall be implemented only to the extent that it is consistent with the purpose of the California Stem Cell Research, Treatments, and Cures Bond Act of 2020.

SEC. 2.

Section 104336.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

104336.5.

(a) The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the spinal cord injury research fund authorized pursuant to the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, to be spent at a rate of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per year, without regard to fiscal year, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year.

(b) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2031, and as of that date is inoperative, and is repealed on January 1, 2032.

SEC. 3.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to address the significant adverse health impacts of spinal cord injuries, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.

Text of AB 2228 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions