Next Monday, directors of the California stem cell agency will try once again to figure out how to work around their perennial problem of having enough directors on hand to conduct their business.
The 29-member board has regular difficulty meeting its 65-per cent quorum requirement. Chairman Robert Klein is reportedly worried that not enough members will be on hand in December to hand out many millions in additional grants.
Sherry Lansing, a CIRM director and former Hollywood film studio executive, has taken on the task of finding a work-around in her capacity as chairperson of the CIRM Governance Subcommittee.
The group initiated its effort last month. Several suggestions were made for changes in the proposed policy. However, the latest version is not yet available on the CIRM website.
The quorum issue is one created by Prop. 71, which locked into state law procedural issues that are better left to regulation, which is easier to change. Ironically, directors recently successfully opposed legislation to ensure affordable access to CIRM-financed therapies on the grounds that the bill would codify in state law matters better left to regulation by CIRM directors.
CIRM could ask lawmakers to change the super-quorum requirement but that would open up discussions for other possible changes.
The public can listen in or make comments at teleconference locations in La Jolla, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Irvine. Othere locations may be added later. You can find them on the agenda.
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