Texas Senate Bill 5 (SB 5), which establishes the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, passed the House on April 24 with a 121-23 vote, following Senate approval on March 5.
However, the Act can only take effect if its companion bill, Senate Joint Resolution 3 (SJR), is approved by the House and then approved by voters during the next general election. SJR 3 proposes a constitutional amendment for the establishment of a Dementia Prevention and Research Fund by transferring $3 billion from the state general revenue to establish the institute, which would then receive up to $300 million annually.
SJR 3 is scheduled for a vote in the House on Monday. For the resolution to pass, at least 100 of the 150 House members must vote in favor of it.
The bill has sparked intense debate over its ambitious scope and cost. Proponents hail it as a transformative step to combat dementia, a disorder that affects more than 500,000 Texans, while critics decry it as a costly government overreach.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is a proponent of the bill, which he listed among his top priorities for this legislative session.
“After hearing countless stories of Texans whose lives were shattered by this silent killer, I felt it was time to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) to bring world-class Dementia researchers to our state. Texas, with our vast resources, has an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of millions,” he said in a press release.
State Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston), the author of SB 5 and SJR 3, noted, “Senate Bill 5 is a game-changer — it’s about innovation, collaboration, and a fierce commitment to the health of our state. I’m proud to champion this effort to give Texas the tools to lead the charge against this devastating disease.”
Critics, primarily fiscal conservatives, argue that SB 5 inflates the government’s role at a steep cost. The $3 billion initial transfer from the General Revenue Fund, plus $300 million in annual grants, competes with priorities like education and infrastructure and duplicates what is already being done in the private sector.
“While dementia research is an important issue and affects a large number of Texans and their families, this legislation creates yet another bloated bureaucracy. … Texas is already home to world-class research institutions and medical centers, funded through private investment, universities, and nonprofits. Yet, SB 5 and HB 5 seek to insert the state government into an area where it has no rightful place,” Texas Policy Research stated on its website.
“I do not know what part of stop-growing-government-and give people-back-their-money this body clearly does not understand,” Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) said in a speech addressing the Texas House.
He decried the bill as “corporate welfare on steroids,” claiming that “We are going to make government contractors very rich, while it’s very unlikely we’re going to find a cure for dementia as a result of this bill.”
“I want to be clear about this, I trust free markets, I trust free people, and I trust free enterprise far more than I trust government bureaucrats,” he added.
SB 5’s passage in both the Senate and the House marks a significant step toward creating DPRIT, but the funding’s reliance on SJR 3, which requires voter approval, adds uncertainty to the initiative. The bill will now be forwarded to the governor’s desk for signature.