AUSTIN – The Texas Senate concurred this weekend with the Texas House on House Bill 3148 by
Representative Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) and sponsored by Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston). HB
3148 is a follow-up on HB 810 that passed in the 85th legislative session, to further clarify the administration of
investigational adult stem cell treatment that can extend the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic
illness.

“So many people are ill with multiple sclerosis and other diseases that stem cell therapy has the hope of
solving in our lifetimes,” Senator Bettencourt said. “I look at this bill, I look at the possibility of what can
happen in the 21st Century, with Texas taking the lead on adult stem cell treatments to extend lives and
make a difference for these patients,” he added.

“I hope that we are talking about a cure when we come back next session,” added Senator Jose Menendez
(D-San Antonio)

Representative Parker filed HB 3148 in the Texas House to allow more patients with certain severe chronic
diseases or terminal illnesses access to stem cell treatment by setting out previsions related to the administration
and oversight of investigational stem cell treatment administered to certain patients. HB 3148 continues the
work from the last two session with the passage of HB 810, also authored by Representative Parker, to authorize
doctors to prescribe adult stem cell treatment to patients and the Andrea Sloan ‘Right to Try’ legislation, which
authorized terminally ill patients faster access to safe but experimental drugs to save or prolong their lives,
which were all sponsored by Senator Bettencourt in the Texas Senate.

“This adult stem cell treatment possibility gets government out of the way to expand these new therapies
and allow them to flourish and give these patients hope for a future good quality of life,” Senator
Bettencourt added. “It’s important to continue expanding this type of treatment in Texas for patients to be
treated closer to home,” he said.

HB 3148 also seeks to establish and maintain an investigational stem cell registry that lists each physician who
administers stem cell treatments that will begin September 1, 2027. It also requires an institutional review board
(IRB) that will oversee all investigational stem cell treatments, and the IRBs will work under guidelines from
the Texas Medical Board.

“Thanks to Representative Tan Parker, the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services, Chaired by
Senator Lois Kolkhorst, Senator Menendez and the entire Texas House and the Texas Senate for
unanimously deciding to let adult stem cell therapies continue to expand in Texas!” Senator Bettencourt
concluded.