SENATE APPROVES RESOLUTION THAT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES

ALBANY, NY—Senator Sue Serino announced today that after months of urging Albany’s new leaders to find funding to combat Lyme and tick-borne diseases, the NYS Senate tonight approved a resolution that includes funding for critical research in this area. 

Senator Serino said, “After the $1 million for Lyme and tick-borne diseases that we secured last year was cut from this year’s final state budget, I dedicated myself to raising awareness among my new colleagues about the importance of dedicating state resources to combating these devastating diseases.

 I was recently joined by Senator Monica R. Martinez in hosting a ‘Lyme Disease Awareness Day’ at the Capitol to help lawmakers better understand the scope of the problem and to familiarize them with some of the groundbreaking research and resources happening and available throughout our state. Following that event, the Senate took up and passed a package of Lyme disease bills, and now, tonight we have approved a public health resolution that includes some funding to help further our education, prevention, and research initiatives. While it isn’t the full $1 million for Lyme and TBDs, this is a positive step in the right direction, and I thank my colleagues for hearing the voices of the thousands of New Yorkers who are suffering the devastating impacts of Lyme and TBDs.” 

The NYS Senate tonight approved Senate Resolution R2143 that appropriated $1 million in funding for various community health programs and included:

-$100,000 for the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Inc.; 
-$50, 000 for the Cornell Cooperative Extension;
-$50,000 for the Columbia Medical Center’s Lyme and TBD Research Center; and 
-$50,000 for the University at Stonybrook 

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