Emma Heming Willis pushes California bill to track frontotemporal dementia cases

Emma Heming Willis appeared with California lawmakers on Monday to champion Senate Bill 1047, a proposal that would mandate the state health department to collect information on frontotemporal degeneration (FTD). The bill, authored by Senator Roger Niello, seeks to incorporate FTD into the Neurodegenerative Disease Registry, which already tracks conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and would keep the program running until 2032.

Funding for the expanded effort is projected at $2.7 million per year from the general fund. Advocates, including the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, argue that a comprehensive dataset is essential for biotech research and potential cures. Willis highlighted that her husband, actor Bruce Willis, was diagnosed with FTD in 2022 and emphasized the need for accurate case counts to drive scientific progress. The legislation was placed in the Assembly’s suspense file on July 1 and now faces a narrow window before the legislative session ends.