Amends TCA Title 4; Title 53; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

This bill enables the state's participation in a compact that awards prize money for the curing of diseases. The compact will become effective and binding upon legislative enactment of the compact into law by two compacting states. COMMISSION GOVERNANCE (Articles II, III, IV, VIII, and XIV) The compact provides for a commission that will determine which diseases are targeted, which treatments are chosen, and what prizes are awarded. When six states enact the compact, the commission will be established. The commission will be comprised of one member from each state, chosen by each state. This bill requires that the commission be exempt from all taxation in and by the compacting states. The commission may: (1) Create bylaws and rules which have the effect of law and are binding on the compacting states; (2) Receive and review treatments and therapeutic protocols for curing diseases; (3) Award prizes for submissions that meet the commission's standards for a successful cure; (4) Make cures widely available and set the price of cures, not to exceed the cost of a cure's manufacturing, distribution, licensing, and any other necessary governmental requirements for compacting states, or those expenses plus any royalty fees, for non-compacting states; (5) In non-compacting states and foreign countries, establish and collect royalty fees imposed on manufacturers, producers, and providers of any drug used for a cure; and (6) Conduct business much like a corporation or state agency. A compacting state may withdraw from the compact by: (1) Repealing the law enacting the compact in that state; and (2) Notifying the commission in writing of the intent to withdraw on a date that is at least three years after the date the notice is sent and after the repeal takes effect. DISEASE AND TREATMENT CRITERIA (Article VI) The commission will determine prize eligibility with the following factors: (1) The severity of the disease to a human individual's overall health and well-being; (2) The survival rate or severity of impact of the disease; and (3) The public health expenses and treatment expenses for the disease. For a cure to be approved, 2/3 of commission members must vote in its favor. The commission's criteria for treatments to be considered a cure are: (1) FDA approval or otherwise legal status for immediate contract to manufacture; (2) A significant increase in survival with respect to the disease if early death is the usual outcome. This bill includes an exception to allow for reduced cash prizes for cures that yield a survival rate that is less than what is established in the cure criteria through at least five years after the treatment or protocol has ended; and (3) A less than one-year treatment to completely cure the disease. PRIZE FUNDING (Article VI) The compact creates a prize amount for cures for each disease equaling the most recent estimated total five-year savings in public health expenses for a disease, any other donations, and any other factors the commission deems appropriate. To pay for the prize, the bill requires each compacting state to pay annually the state's actual one-year savings for the particular disease cured, beginning one year after a cure becomes widely available. ON APRIL 21, 2021, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 234, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 adds a requirement that the commissioner of health notify the chairpersons of the government operations committees of the senate and the house of representatives within 30 days of the date the Solemn Covenant of the States to Award Prizes for Curing Diseases compact comes into effect.