Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas Senate Bill SCR5 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	ADF087 02/26/2025 9:23:57 AM ADF087
3	3	State of Arkansas 1
4	4	95th General Assembly 2
5	5	Regular Session, 2025 SCR 5 3
6	6	4
7	7	By: Senators Irvin, B. Davis, J. English 5
8	8	By: Representatives Barker, Bentley, A. Brown, K. Brown, R. Burkes, Cavenaugh, Crawford, Dalby, 6
9	9	Duke, Henley, Lundstrum, J. Mayberry, McAlindon, K. Moore, Vaught 7
10	10	8
11	11	SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 9
12	12	TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE PURSUIT OF NATIONAL 10
13	13	CANCER INSTITUTE DESIGNATION BY THE WINTHROP P. 11
14	14	ROCKEFELLER CANCER INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF 12
15	15	ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES. 13
16	16	14
17	17	15
18	18	Subtitle 16
19	19	TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE PURSUIT OF 17
20	20	NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE DESIGNATION BY 18
21	21	THE WINTHROP P. ROCKEFELLER CANCER 19
22	22	INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS 20
23	23	FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES. 21
24	24	22
25	25	WHEREAS, in 2025, the American Cancer Society estimates that nineteen 23
26	26	thousand seven hundred (19,700) Arkansans will be diagnosed with cancer; and 24
27	27	25
28	28	WHEREAS, of those seventeen thousand nine hundred eighty (17,980) 26
29	29	Arkansans diagnosed with cancer, a large percentage will die of the disease; 27
30	30	and 28
31	31	29
32	32	WHEREAS, the four (4) types of cancer with significantly high annual 30
33	33	diagnosis rates in Arkansas are: 31
34	34	(1) Lung and bronchus cancer, with an estimated two thousand six 32
35	35	hundred sixty (2,660) diagnoses; 33
36	36	(2) Female breast cancer, with two thousand six hundred ninety 34
37	37	(2,690) diagnoses; 35
38	38	(3) Prostate cancer, with two thousand nine hundred thirty 36 SCR5
39	39
40	40	2 02/26/2025 9:23:57 AM ADF087
41	41	(2,930) diagnoses; and 1
42	42	(4) Colorectal cancer, with one thousand five hundred sixty 2
43	43	(1,560) diagnoses; and 3
44	44	4
45	45	WHEREAS, in each category, the diagnosis of cancer has grown in the 5
46	46	Arkansas population since 2018; and 6
47	47	7
48	48	WHEREAS, over the past twenty -eight (28) years, nationwide cancer -8
49	49	related deaths have decreased by five percent (5%), but in Arkansas the rate 9
50	50	of cancer-related deaths has increased by nine percent (9%); and 10
51	51	11
52	52	WHEREAS, only Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma had 12
53	53	higher cancer-related death rates in the 2022 than Arkansas; and 13
54	54	14
55	55	WHEREAS, cancer is the second -leading cause of death in Arkansas, only 15
56	56	surpassed by coronavirus 2019 (COVID -19) during that pandemic, and may become 16
57	57	the leading cause of death within the next decade, surpassing the current 17
58	58	leading cause, cardiovascular disease, based on diagnosis trends in the State 18
59	59	of Arkansas; and 19
60	60	20
61	61	WHEREAS, there are currently seventy -two (72) National Cancer 21
62	62	Institute-Designated Cancer Centers, located in thirty -six (36) states and 22
63	63	the District of Columbia, including National Cancer Institute -Designated 23
64	64	Cancer Centers in Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee; and 24
65	65	25
66	66	WHEREAS, there are no National Cancer Institute -Designated Cancer 26
67	67	Centers in Arkansas, Mississippi, or Louisiana; and 27
68	68	28
69	69	WHEREAS, having a National Cancer Institute -Designated Cancer Center in 29
70	70	Arkansas will improve and expand access to clinical trials, cancer treatment, 30
71	71	cancer prevention, cancer screening, and education in Arkansas; and 31
72	72	32
73	73	WHEREAS, a National Cancer Institute -Designated Cancer Center in 33
74	74	Arkansas could serve as a hub of groundbreaking treatments and care for 34
75	75	communities around the State of Arkansas; and 35
76	76	36 SCR5
77	77
78	78	3 02/26/2025 9:23:57 AM ADF087
79	79	WHEREAS, Arkansas cancer patients must currently leave the State of 1
80	80	Arkansas to receive treatment at a National Cancer Institute -Designated 2
81	81	Cancer Center; and 3
82	82	4
83	83	WHEREAS, National Cancer Institute -Designated Cancer Centers have 5
84	84	expanded treatment options due to research grant funds and experimental 6
85	85	trials, and hundreds of research studies are underway at these centers, 7
86	86	ranging from basic laboratory research to clinical assessments of new 8
87	87	treatments not currently available in Arkansas; and 9
88	88	10
89	89	WHEREAS, having a National Cancer Institute -Designated Cancer Center in 11
90	90	the State of Arkansas would save the lives of thousands of Arkansans through 12
91	91	expanded treatment opportunities, including opportunities to participate in 13
92	92	experimental cancer treatments; and 14
93	93	15
94	94	WHEREAS, being a National Cancer Institute -Designated Cancer Center 16
95	95	would allow the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of 17
96	96	Arkansas for Medical Sciences to be awarded more research funds, which will 18
97	97	provide additional experimental cancer treatments in the State of Arkansas; 19
98	98	and 20
99	99	21
100	100	WHEREAS, a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center will 22
101	101	provide support for cancer treatment providers, clinics, and hospitals in 23
102	102	Arkansas; and 24
103	103	25
104	104	WHEREAS, in addition to the human suffering caused by cancer, there are 26
105	105	economic costs that result from the disease, including medical costs and the 27
106	106	impact on the productivity of the cancer patient and his or her family; and 28
107	107	29
108	108	WHEREAS, the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University 30
109	109	of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is pursuing a designation as a National 31
110	110	Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center for the benefit of the more than 32
111	111	three million (3,000,000) citizens of Arkansas; and 33
112	112	34
113	113	WHEREAS, the National Cancer Institute recommends that a cancer center 35
114	114	have at least ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in National Cancer Institute -36 SCR5
115	115
116	116	4 02/26/2025 9:23:57 AM ADF087
117	117	funded research; and 1
118	118	2
119	119	WHEREAS, the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University 3
120	120	of Arkansas for Medical Sciences can apply for only a limited number of 4
121	121	National Cancer Institute grant funds because over sixty percent (60%) of the 5
122	122	National Cancer Institute's grant applications require that the cancer center 6
123	123	be a National Cancer Institute -Designated Cancer Center in order to apply for 7
124	124	the grant funds; and 8
125	125	9
126	126	WHEREAS, in late 2019, Dr. Michael Birrer, an internationally known 10
127	127	medical oncologist specializing in gynecologic cancers, was named the Vice 11
128	128	Chancellor and Director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at 12
129	129	the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and since his joining the 13
130	130	Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Dr. Birrer has recruited over 14
131	131	twenty-five (25) National Cancer Institute -funded laboratory and 15
132	132	translational science researchers and fifteen (15) oncologists, formed an 16
133	133	external advisory board of cancer center experts, expanded the clinical trial 17
134	134	portfolio resulting in two hundred sixty (260) annual accruals, and 18
135	135	established a community outreach and engagement program; and 19
136	136	20
137	137	WHEREAS, to be successful in gaining status as a National Cancer 21
138	138	Institute-Designated Cancer Center, ongoing, dedicated financial support from 22
139	139	the State of Arkansas is critical; and 23
140	140	24
141	141	WHEREAS, the private resources pursued by the Winthrop P. Rockefeller 25
142	142	Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are part 26
143	143	of a cohesive and focused plan that will forever change the cancer outcomes 27
144	144	in the State of Arkansas; and 28
145	145	29
146	146	WHEREAS, it is estimated that having a National Cancer Institute -30
147	147	Designated Cancer Center will bring in an additional seventy million dollars 31
148	148	($70,000,000) annually to Arkansas’s economy and will create one thousand 32
149	149	five hundred eighty-four (1,584) new jobs over five (5) years; and 33
150	150	34
151	151	WHEREAS, since 2019, the General Assembly has unanimously resolved and 35
152	152	encouraged the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of 36 SCR5
153	153
154	154	5 02/26/2025 9:23:57 AM ADF087
155	155	Arkansas for Medical Sciences every two (2) years in this pursuit; and 1
156	156	2
157	157	WHEREAS, the State of Arkansas applauds the Winthrop P. Rockefeller 3
158	158	Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences on 4
159	159	progress towards filing its application for National Cancer Institute -5
160	160	Designated status with the goal of filing during fall 2025 as recommended by 6
161	161	its external advisory board; and 7
162	162	8
163	163	WHEREAS, the State of Arkansas recognizes the Winthrop P. Rockefeller 9
164	164	Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for 10
165	165	achieving its private fundraising goal as established in Acts 2019, No. 181 11
166	166	and encourages more private fundraising towards this goal; and 12
167	167	13
168	168	WHEREAS, the State of Arkansas encourages the existing resources of the 14
169	169	Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, the Arkansas Tobacco 15
170	170	Settlement Commission, and other such state and other entities to collaborate 16
171	171	with and support the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the 17
172	172	University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in programming and other 18
173	173	activities towards this state goal of National Cancer Institute -Designated 19
174	174	status for early detection and cancer prevention for all Arkansans; and 20
175	175	21
176	176	WHEREAS, during the Ninety -Fourth General Assembly, Governor Sarah 22
177	177	Huckabee Sanders dedicated one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) toward 23
178	178	this effort to ensure that all means necessary were available towards the 24
179	179	goal of better cancer detection and prevention in the State of Arkansas for 25
180	180	all Arkansans and to help fund the pursuit of National Cancer Institute -26
181	181	Designated status for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the 27
182	182	University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 28
183	183	29
184	184	NOW THEREFORE, 30
185	185	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 31
186	186	STATE OF ARKANSAS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN: 32
187	187	33
188	188	THAT the Senate of the Ninety -Fifth General Assembly, the House of 34
189	189	Representatives concurring, continue to encourage the pursuit of a National 35
190	190	Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller 36 SCR5
191	191
192	192	6 02/26/2025 9:23:57 AM ADF087
193	193	Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. 1
194	194	2
195	195	3
196	196	4
197	197	5
198	198	6
199	199	7
200	200	8
201	201	9
202	202	10
203	203	11
204	204	12
205	205	13
206	206	14
207	207	15
208	208	16
209	209	17
210	210	18
211	211	19
212	212	20
213	213	21
214	214	22
215	215	23
216	216	24
217	217	25
218	218	26
219	219	27
220	220	28
221	221	29
222	222	30
223	223	31
224	224	32
225	225	33
226	226	34
227	227	35
228	228	36