Budget Amendment ID: FY2027-S4-467-R1

Redraft EHS 467

Thomas P. Kennedy Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Mission and Board Composition

Messrs. Brady, Keenan and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following section:-

“SECTION X. Section 59A of chapter 10 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the section and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

(a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate, non-budgeted special revenue fund known as Thomas P. Kennedy Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund, which shall be administered by the state treasurer.  The fund shall be credited with: (i) revenue from appropriations or other money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) interest earned on such revenues; (iii) funds from public and private sources, including, but not limited to, gifts, grants, donations and settlements received by the commonwealth that are designated to be credited to the fund; (iv) monies paid to the commonwealth on a surcharge of $50 assessed against any person who seeks reinstatement of a license to operate after the license has been suspended as a result of receiving 3 speeding convictions pursuant to section 17 of chapter 90 within any 1–year period or as a result of receiving 3 surchargeable offenses within any 2–year period or as a result of receiving 7 surchargeable offenses within any 3–year period. The surcharge assessed against a person who seeks reinstatement of the person's license to operate after the license has been suspended shall be $50 greater for each successive reinstatement under this section. The surcharge shall be transferred by the registrar of motor vehicles to the state treasurer for deposit into the Thomas P. Kennedy Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund.

(b) Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended, without further appropriation, for the purpose of medical cure research and clinical trials in acute and chronic research for spinal cord injured persons in such manner as the commissioner of public health may direct. The unexpended balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years.  No expenditure made from the fund shall cause the fund to be in deficit at any point.

(c) The commissioner of public health shall appoint an advisory board of the fund, consisting of 3 physicians and 2 members of the spinal cord community for the purpose of reviewing proposals for funding research in spinal cord injury and making related recommendations. A fee of $1,000 per out-of-state reviewer shall be paid for by the fund.”.