Editing Texas Constitution talk:Article III

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== 2025 ==

10. SJR 3
... add Article III, Section 68:

Added November 4, 2025:

(a) The legislature shall establish the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to: (1) award grants to institutions of learning, advanced medical research facilities, public or private persons, and collaboratives in this state to provide money for: (A) research into the causes of, means of prevention of, and treatment and rehabilitation for dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; (B) research, including translational research, to develop therapies, protocols, medical pharmaceuticals, or procedures for the substantial mitigation of the symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; (C) facilities, equipment, and other costs related to research on dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; and (D) prevention programs and strategies to mitigate the detrimental health impacts of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; (2) support institutions of learning and advanced medical research facilities and collaboratives in this state in all stages of: (A) discovering the causes of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; (B) developing therapies, protocols, medical pharmaceuticals, or procedures for the substantial mitigation of the symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders from laboratory research to clinical trials; and (C) developing programs to address access to advanced treatment for dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; and (3) establish the appropriate standards and oversight bodies to ensure the proper use of funding authorized under this section, including facilities development.

(b) The members of the governing body and any other decision-making body of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas may serve six-year terms.

(c) The Dementia Prevention and Research Fund is established as a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund to be administered by the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. The comptroller of public accounts shall credit to general revenue interest due to the fund.

(c-1) On January 1, 2026, the comptroller shall transfer $3 billion from this state's general revenue fund to the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund. The transfer made under this subsection is not an appropriation of state tax revenues for the purposes of Section 22, Article VIII, of this constitution. This subsection expires January 1, 2029.

(d) The Dementia Prevention and Research Fund consists of: (1) money transferred to the fund under this section; (2) money the legislature appropriates, credits, or transfers to the fund; and (3) gifts and grants, including grants from the federal government, and other donations received for the fund.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, as established by general law, may use money in the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund only for the purpose of funding: (1) grants for research on dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders, research facilities, and research opportunities in this state:(A) for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders and the mitigation of the incidence of and detrimental health impacts from dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; and (B) to develop therapies, protocols, medical pharmaceuticals, or procedures for the substantial mitigation of the symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders; (2) the purchase, construction, or renovation, subject to the institute's approval, of facilities by or on behalf of a state agency or grant recipient; and (3) the institute's operation.

(f) Not including any unspent money appropriated to the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas carried forward from the preceding state fiscal year, the legislature may appropriate not more than $300 million from the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to the institute for a state fiscal year.

(g) Before the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas may award a grant authorized under this section, the grant recipient must have available an unexpended amount of money equal to one-half of the grant amount dedicated to the research specified in the grant proposal.

(h) The reasonable expenses of managing the assets of the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund shall be paid from the fund.