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Committee moves voluntary pediatric cancer research tax checkoff to Appropriations as amended
Summary
AB 703 would create a voluntary state tax return contribution fund for pediatric cancer research. The committee voted to pass the bill as amended to Appropriations after emotional testimony from family members and advocates.
AB 703, carried for Assemblymember Alex Lee by Mr. Gonzales, would establish a voluntary tax contribution fund on California income tax returns to support pediatric cancer research. Committee members voted to pass the bill as amended to the Appropriations Committee.
Multiple family members and youth advocates provided emotional testimony. Twelve-year-old Rianne Colt spoke about her brother Neve, who died of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), and described participating in advocacy and fundraisers. Seventeen-year-old Sahil Mehta recounted his brother Ronalds 31-month fight with a brain tumor and said only 4% of federal cancer research funding targets pediatric cancers.
Supporters included the American Cancer Society, the University of California, and California Life Sciences. Committee members commended the witnesses' personal testimony. The committees analysis listed possible amendments (noted in committee report sections E and F); the author accepted those amendments on the floor.
After a motion and second, the committee clerk called the roll and recorded votes needed for committee approval; the chair indicated the bill required one additional vote to clear the committee but members later added on the missing vote and the clerk announced the bill "due pass as amended to Appropriations." The author said he looked forward to working with the committee and staff on the bill.
The bill will now proceed to the Appropriations Committee for fiscal analysis and consideration of the authors accepted amendments.
