Senator Battling ALS Leads Research Funding Legislation into Law

March 31, 2022

A bill allocating $25 million for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research and to provide caregiver support to those suffering from ALS has been signed into law. The bill passed both chambers unanimously in a rare display of bipartisan and bicameral collaboration, before being signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz on March 30.  

Sen. David Tomassoni (I-Chisholm), who revealed he was diagnosed with ALS last July, was present when his bill, SF 3372, was signed into law. The legislation funds a grant program for research facilities, universities, and health systems located in Minnesota to conduct clinical and translational research related to ALS.  

The bill allocates $20 million to the Department of Higher Education to administer ALS research grants in tandem with the Department of Health and $5 million towards ALS-specific respite service in the Minnesota Board on Aging’s caregiver support program. 

The passage of SF3372 marks only the eleventh bill passed into law this legislative session. This came on the same day the Minnesota House of Representatives set a record for total bills introduced in a biennium, with 4,708 and counting. The Senate has introduced 4,389 bills and would need to introduce 244 more bills to break the current Senate record for bills introduced, set in 2020. While a large number have been introduced, most will not receive hearings and many of those bills will be included as amendments to larger omnibus bills.