S.B. No. 272 Summary

• Creates the Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Accelerator Program within the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Agency to advance scientific research and develop treatments for traumatic brain injuries and promote Ohio as a biohub for this research.

• The Brain Injury Research Foundation administers the program as a public-private partnership and awards grants to universities that match foundation awards with equal funding from other sources such as institutions, private foundations, or the federal government.

• Foundation must prepare annual reports on program progress submitted to the governor, relevant state directors, the chancellor of higher education, and the general assembly, and must commission annual independent audits by certified public accounting firms.

• Chancellor of higher education establishes the Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Accelerator Program Oversight Review Board consisting of 10-20 members appointed by the chancellor, with required representation from universities of varying sizes to oversee foundation operations, track research progress, ensure fair grant processes, and perform internal audits.

• Review board members serve two-year terms (with initial terms of two or three years), are not compensated but reimbursed for travel expenses, and the board must meet at least twice yearly to provide recommendations to the foundation and monitor program performance.