Why you should attend the California Neurology Society’s NeuroImmunology and Beyond at the DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina in Berkeley, Ca from November 6 to November 9, 2025

Concussion awareness, CTE prevention, and epilepsy-related issues, with an emphasis on youth sports safety and transportation access for adults with epilepsy

Reviewing two CMA Resolutions for the upcoming board meeting

Reviewing several legislative updates and bills, and discussions about transportation and infrastructure challenges in California

Lobbying Efforts & The Importance of Building Relationships with Legislators

UnitedHealthcare and HCSC Accept NBPAS Certification

One week until Conference and Legislative Day

The team discusses their upcoming meeting on April 30th at the Citizen Hotel

CNS Reviews Bills and Votes on Measures of Support or Opposition

Quick recap The team discussed the financial implications of transportation for people with epilepsy and proposed potential solutions, including allocating a dollar from truck registration towards retraining or local transportation budgets. They also discussed healthcare policies, particularly a bill aiming to align the standards of administering life-saving medicines to people with seizures in adult day centers with FDA standards. Lastly, they discussed the risks of head injuries in children playing tackle football and the potential for introducing a bill to raise awareness about the impact of head injuries on children's brain development. Next steps Selim to send conference information to Sean Porter. Selim to create or coordinate creation of a formal invitation for the legislative reception on May 1st. Johanna to contact Sean Porter about potential legislation sponsorship and discuss the epilepsy transportation issue. Stella to write a letter to the NFL praising them for flag football and encouraging them to promote safety in youth football. Johanna to resubmit the full CMA resolution documents, ensuring all content fits within the submission guidelines. Selim to contact the Governor's office and healthcare representatives to invite them to speak at the May 1st legislative day. Johanna to attend the CMA legislative day on May 21st, arriving the night before. Jeff to attend the CMA legislative day on May 21st. Legislative team to continue pursuing the head injury bill with potential sponsors. Johanna to follow up with Michelle Rodriguez's office about attending the May 1st reception and potentially meeting with the team. Summaries Transportation Funding for Epilepsy Patients Johanna discussed the financial implications of transportation for people with epilepsy, suggesting that those who cannot drive due to their condition should receive a portion of the taxes paid by those who can drive. She proposed a potential solution of allocating a dollar from the registration of 18-wheeler trucks towards retraining or budget for local transportation departments. Steve agreed with Johanna's points about the funding and taxation system, but expressed concerns about the feasibility of taxing truck drivers due to their strong union. The conversation ended with Stella and Nick joining the conversation. Healthcare Policy Discussion and Support Selim, Dr. Stella Legarda, Dr. Joanna Rosenthal, and Steve Cattolica met with Nick, a legislative representative, to discuss healthcare policies. They expressed support for a bill, Assembly Bill 369, which aims to align the standards of who can administer life-saving medicines to people with seizures in adult day centers with FDA standards. They also discussed the possibility of Nick's office giving a talk about the bill at their upcoming conference in Sacramento. Additionally, they mentioned a previous bill, the Levine Bill, which they supported and was recently passed. Addressing Tackle Football Risks in Children Johanna and Stella discussed the risks of head injuries in children playing tackle football, particularly in the developing brain. They mentioned a bill that partially went through last year, which required parents to sign a waiver acknowledging the risks. They also discussed a study by Boston University's CTE Center, which found that 100% of professional football players under 30 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Stella suggested that the National Football League should prioritize long-term brain health in children and proposed a joint resolution between the House and Senate to create an age limit for tackle football, similar to other contact sports. Addressing Head Injuries and Epilepsy In the meeting, Johanna, Stella, and Nick discussed the possibility of introducing a bill to raise awareness about the impact of head injuries on children's brain development and the subsequent challenges faced by those affected. They agreed that the bill should be the primary focus, with a resolution as a fallback option. Nick committed to discussing the idea with his team and superiors, acknowledging the challenge of securing funding in the current budget deficit. The team also discussed the potential for job training programs and transportation assistance for individuals with epilepsy who lose their driver's licenses. The conversation ended with the understanding that the issue is underserved and needs to be addressed. Bill Language and Legislative Session Nick agreed to follow up on the ideas discussed with his team and send the bill language to Stella for support. Johanna reminded Nick of a February 21st deadline for new legislation and asked about the number of bills his department was sponsoring. Nick clarified that they were limited due to the shortened session and the new member's role. Johanna proposed an invitation for Nick's department to attend the legislative session on May 1st and visit the office in the Capitol. Nick agreed to this and provided Selim with the scheduler's email. Steve expressed his appreciation for the bill and the progress it aimed to achieve. State Funding and Project Income Johanna and Stella discussed the challenges of generating income for their projects and the need to approach the state for funding. They also discussed their interactions with the Principal Consultant on the Senate Transportation Committee, Melissa White, who advised them against asking for money, suggesting instead to extend the service to the population. Johanna expressed her belief that they could find a workaround and generate income from the state, while Stella emphasized the importance of presenting their goals clearly and avoiding the perception of asking for extra money. They agreed to continue their efforts and to invite the legislative assistant to a meeting to further discuss their plans. Youth Sports Concussion Prevention Efforts Stella, Johanna, and Selim discussed the committee's legislative efforts, particularly focusing on concussion prevention in youth sports. They agreed on the need for a joint resolution between the House and the Senate to limit contact sports for under-12s, rather than a bill. They also discussed the potential for using the legislation as a bargaining chip with the NFL. Johanna mentioned that she had sent letters to the NFL and other organizations, and Stella suggested writing a letter to the NFL praising their adoption of flag football. The team also discussed the importance of Selim speaking up in meetings, as he has a strong understanding of the legislative process. Lastly, they planned to invite representatives from the Governor's office to their upcoming legislative day. Epilepsy Medication and Transportation Discussion Johanna, Stella, Jeff, and Selim discussed various topics, including epilepsy medication, transportation for epilepsy patients, and potential legislation. Stella mentioned a bill she was involved with last year, which allowed school personnel to administer epilepsy medication to students. Johanna suggested a new approach to claw back some of the money epilepsy patients pay for transportation they can't use. Jeff agreed, stating that it wouldn't cost much for transportation agencies to provide free transportation for epilepsy patients. They also discussed the possibility of bringing the issue to a state level, as opposed to individual municipalities. Selim asked about reaching out to Sean Porter, and Johanna agreed to do so. Lastly, they discussed the upcoming CMA resolutions and the possibility of attending a legislative day on May 21st.