$3B Brain Research Bill Advances to Senate Vote

Texas would launch a new research institute for mental health and brain diseases, seeding it with $3 billion from the state’s huge surplus, under legislation that cleared the House on Tuesday.

In November, voters would get a chance to approve a constitutional amendment to create the Mental Health and Brain Research Institute of Texas. Voters also would be asked to approve transferring $3 billion of state discretionary money into a new fund, modeled after one 16 years ago that kickstarted the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.