Join BayBio for this opportunity to hear from Assemblymember Gene Mullin, (D-19th District, South San Francisco, biography below), regarding his bill to establish a California Office of Intellectual Property -- AB 1456.

The licensing and use of intellectual property is a critical element for the life sciences industry and needs to be watched closely. The town hall meeting will be an opportunity for the Assemblyman to present his bill and for the industry to provide their comments and concerns.

Among the potentially controversial elements of this bill, this clause caused some debate in 2006:

“State agencies… shall grant exclusive licenses for therapies and diagnostics only to organizations with plans to provide access to resultant therapies and diagnostics for uninsured California patients. In addition, these licensees will agree to provide to patients whose therapies and diagnostics will be purchased in California by public funds the therapies and diagnostics at a cost not to exceed the federal Medicaid price.”

• What: BayBio Town Hall: Legislation to Establish a California Office of Intellectual Property
  
• When: 9:30am - 10:30am, Friday, March 23, 2007
  
• Where: Theravance, Inc. ,901 Gateway Blvd, South San Francisco, CA. Directions
  
• Attire: Business Casual

• RSVP to Attend

There is no cost to attend. Additional questions, comments and requests for information to Christopher Draper, Director of Public Policy, at 650-871-7101 x206.



About Assemblymember Gene Mullin
Gene Mullin was elected on November 5, 2002 to represent the 19th District of the California State Assembly, following seven years as a South San Francisco City Councilmember, two of which he served as Mayor.

Assemblymember Mullin is the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Education. He was the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development in 2005 and 2006. His tenure in the legislature has been marked by numerous distinctive awards including California State University 2006 CSUperb Legislator of the Year, California Coalition for Children’s Health and Safety 2006 Legislator of the Year, League of California Cities 2005 Legislator of the Year, California Healthcare Institute 2005 Visionary Award, BayBio’s 2004 DiNA and the California County Boards of Education 2003 Legislator of the Year.

Gene Mullin’s history in the 19th Assembly District began at South San Francisco High School, where he taught government and coached basketball for 32 years. He is most often described by his former students as “my favorite teacher.” Assemblymember Mullin has won multiple awards for excellence in public education, including San Mateo County "Teacher of the Year" in 1991 and the California Teachers Association's 1996 State Teacher of Year in Politics.

Assemblymember Mullin’s lifelong dedication to public service includes an appointment to the South San Francisco Planning Commission that voted to approve Genentech in 1976. He was a member of the city's Historical Preservation Commission from 1986-1992 and the South San Francisco City Council named him Citizen of the Year in 1979.

Gene Mullin graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of San Francisco in 1960 and holds a Lifetime Secondary Teaching Credential from University of San Francisco. A lifelong resident of the Bay Area, he and his wife Terri have two children, Jennifer and Kevin, and three grandsons, Austin, Jonathan and Colton.