104500-104545
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 104500-104545
104500. (a) (1) The Legislature finds that the efforts to reduce smoking in California have led to a drop in the consumption of tobacco. Although not on target to meet the goal of achieving a 75-percent reduction in tobacco consumption in California by the year 1999, the results are encouraging. (2) The Legislature further finds that as a result of the success of the programs, the money received from the taxation of tobacco has been dropping. The Legislature declares this a sign of success, not a matter of concern. (3) The Legislature further notes that programs, organizations, and individuals receiving money from the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Surtax Fund are receiving money from a declining revenue source. The Legislature finds that this success has led to an obvious concern and fear among recipients that "their money" is shrinking every year. (4) The Legislature finds that, assuming the success of the antismoking efforts continue, there will be necessary reductions in spending in the years to come. (5) The Legislature declares its intention to seek full analysis of all programs receiving money under Proposition 99 and declares its intention to critically evaluate how the money is being spent and whether the spending is achieving the results desired. (6) The Legislature specifically rejects the notion that every dollar of expenditure made by every program, organization, or activity is of equal value. Instead, the Legislature declares its intention to choose between competing programs and to allocate moneys to those programs and activities that are most successful in meeting the goals of the initiative. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide for the continuation of the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Surtax Research Program to support research into tobacco-related disease. It is the intent of the Legislature that this program be administered by the University of California and that this program be administered pursuant to the following principles: (1) The research program established should adhere to the objectives stated in the provisions of the initiative act entitled Cigarette and Tobacco Products Surtax regarding research: "The Research Account . . . shall only be available for tobacco-related disease research." (2) All research funds shall be awarded on the basis of scientific merit as determined by an open, competitive peer review process that assures objectivity, consistency, and high quality. All qualified investigators, regardless of institutional affiliation, shall have equal access and opportunity to compete for the funds in the Research Account. (3) The peer review process for the selection of grants awarded under this program shall be modeled on that used by the National Institutes of Health in its grantmaking process. (4) Awardees shall be reimbursed for the full cost, both direct and indirect, of conducting the sponsored research consistent with federal guidelines governing all federal research grants and contracts. (c) It is further the intent of the Legislature that on or before December 31, 2010, and every five years thereafter, the University of California transmit programmatic, as well as financial, reports to the state, including a report on the grants made, pending grants, program accomplishments, and the future direction of the program. 104505. The Legislature hereby requests the University of California to continue to administer a comprehensive grant program to support research efforts related to the prevention, causes, and treatment of tobacco-related diseases. It is the intent of the Legislature that the program incorporate the principles and organizational elements specified in this article, including, but not limited to, a program office with a director and other necessary staff, a scientific advisory committee, and research review panels. 104510. For the purposes of this article: (a) "Grantee" means any qualifying public, private, or nonprofit agency or individual including, but not limited to, colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories, research institutions, local health departments, voluntary health agencies, health maintenance organizations, and individuals conducting research in California. (b) "Indirect costs" includes such items as use allowance for research facilities, heating, lighting, library services, health and safety services, project administration, and building maintenance, as defined by federal cost accounting guidelines for federally sponsored research. (c) "Tobacco-related disease" includes, but is not limited to, the following: (1) Coronary heart disease. (2) Cerebrovascular disease. (3) Cancer, including cancers of the lung, larynx, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, and mouth. It is the intent of the Legislature that the university further research the epidemiological link between smoking and breast cancer and prostate cancer. (4) Chronic obstructive lung disease, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and related lung disorders. (5) Other conditions or diseases that smoking or tobacco use has been established to be a risk factor for excess disability and illness. (d) "Tobacco-related disease research" includes, but is not limited to, research in the fields of biomedical science, the social and behavioral sciences, public policy, epidemiology, and public health. (e) "Public policy research" means research that investigates and evaluates various programs and strategies used by governmental, private, and nonprofit organizations to control tobacco use. (f) "University" means the University of California. 104515. It is the intent of the Legislature that the university establish a scientific advisory committee to provide advice to the president of the university as to the direction, scope, and progress of the research program. (a) Responsibilities of the committee may include, but are not limited to: (1) Provision of advice on program priorities and emphasis. (2) Provision of advice on overall program budget. (3) Participation in periodic program evaluation. (4) Assistance in developing guidelines to assure fairness, neutrality, and adherence to the principles of merit and quality in the conduct of the program. (5) Assistance in developing appropriate linkages to nonacademic entities, including, but not limited to, voluntary organizations, health care delivery institutions, industry, government agencies, and public officials. (b) Responsibilities of the committee may additionally include: (1) Development of criteria and standards for grant awards. (2) Development of administrative procedures relative to the solicitation, review, and award of grants to ensure an impartial, high quality peer review system. (3) Development and supervision of research review panels. (4) Review of research review panel reports and recommendations for grant awards. (5) Development and oversight of mechanisms for the dissemination of research results. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the committee consist of at least nine members representing a range of scientific expertise and experience appointed by the president of the university from nominations submitted by relevant organizations, as follows: (1) Three members from voluntary health organizations dedicated to the reduction of tobacco use. (2) One member with expertise in the field of biomedical research. (3) One member with expertise in the field of behavioral or social research. (4) One member from professional medical or health organizations. (5) One member from an independent research university in California. (6) One member drawn from other institutions engaged in research directed at tobacco-related diseases. (7) One member representing tobacco control for the department. (8) One member representing a community-based provider of health education and prevention services. (d) Committee membership shall be drawn from the ranks of bona fide scientists and individuals fully conversant with the norms of scientific inquiry. (e) Members shall serve at the pleasure of the President of the University of California. Membership may be staggered in such a way as to maintain a full committee while ensuring a reasonable degree of continuity of expertise and consistency of direction. (f) Members shall serve without compensation, but may receive reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of their official duties. (g) The Legislature hereby declares that public policy research is an area of compelling interest because of its potential to determine the best methods for reducing tobacco use on a wide scale among Californians. The scientific advisory committee shall give a high priority to proposals for grant awards to fund public policy research. 104520. It is the intent of the Legislature that the university utilize peer review panels modeled upon the National Institutes of Health peer review process to review all research grants. The membership of these panels shall vary depending on the subject matter of proposals and review requirements, and shall draw on the most qualified individuals from appropriate institutions within and outside the State of California and from within and without the University of California system. The work of the peer review panels shall be administered pursuant to policies and procedures established by the scientific advisory committee. In order to avoid conflicts of interest and to ensure access to qualified reviewers, the university may utilize reviewers not only from California but also from outside the state. When serving on peer review panels, individuals who have submitted grant applications for funding by this program shall be governed by conflict-of-interest provisions consistent with the National Institutes of Health Manual, Chapter 4510 (item h). 104525. Research projects funded under this article may include, but are not limited to: (a) Individual investigator-generated grants. These grants may be awarded to an institution on behalf of a principal investigator for a discrete project related to the investigator's interests and competence. (b) New investigator grants. These grants may be awarded to an institution to support the work of promising individuals in the initial stages of their research careers. (c) Center grants. These grants may be awarded to institutions on behalf of a principal investigator and a group of collaborating investigators providing support for long-term multidisciplinary programs of research and development. (d) Conference grants. These grants may be awarded for funding of conferences in California to coordinate, exchange, and disseminate information related to specific research efforts. These grants may fund honoraria and travel expenses for invited participants from outside California. 104530. It is the intent of the Legislature that the university, as lead agency, do all of the following: (a) Provide overall direction and coordination of the program. (b) Provide staff assistance to the advisory committee and review panels. (c) Provide for periodic program evaluation, to assure that work funded is consistent with program goals. (d) Maintain a system of financial reporting and accountability. (e) Provide for the systematic dissemination of research results to the public and the health care community, and to provide for a mechanism to disseminate the most current research findings in the areas of smoking cessation and the prevention of tobacco use in order that these findings may be applied to the implementation of the Health Education Account. (f) Develop policies and procedures to facilitate the translation of research results into commercial applications wherever appropriate. (g) Undertake an outreach program to inform interested parties of the availability of grants for public policy research in the area of tobacco control. 104535. It is the intent of the Legislature that projects funded under this article be reimbursed for actual costs, including direct costs and indirect costs incurred by a research institution consistent with federal guidelines. Indirect cost rates shall not exceed those allowable by the federal government for federally sponsored research. With respect to those institutions that have not negotiated a federal indirect cost reimbursement rate, the university will request information to verify the indirect cost rates. 104540. It is the intent of the Legislature that no more than 5 percent of the Research Account be used for the purposes of the administration of this article. 104545. No provision of this article shall apply to the University of California unless the regents of the university, by resolution, make that provision so applicable.