A 2025 Epic Research analysis of more than 46 million adult patients found that Nebraska had the highest adjusted rate of newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease among the 49 states studied. Yet Nebraska’s Parkinson’s Disease Registry—the first registry of its kind in the nation—has not collected data since June 2025 because of insufficient funding.

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in November 2023 at only 33 years old. I am creating this petition not just for myself, but for every Nebraskan living with Parkinson’s today and every family that will face this diagnosis in the future.

Nebraska law recognizes that the registry is important for tracking the disease, identifying possible risk factors, supporting research, and planning healthcare services. However, the same law prohibits the use of General Fund dollars for registry expenses and requires registry operations to stop when other permitted funding runs out.

That is exactly what happened.

Without a functioning registry, Nebraska cannot reliably determine where Parkinson’s cases are occurring, whether certain communities face greater risks, or how environmental factors such as agricultural chemical exposure may contribute to the disease. It also becomes harder to plan medical services, support Nebraska researchers, and measure whether public-health policies are working.

Nebraska also lacks a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence or Comprehensive Care Center. Each of the four states closest to Nebraska in Epic Research’s adjusted diagnosis-rate ranking—Kansas, Utah, Arkansas, and Florida—has at least one nationally designated Parkinson’s care center. Nebraskans should not have to leave the state to obtain comprehensive, multidisciplinary care.

We call on Governor Jim Pillen, the Nebraska Legislature, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and Nebraska’s federal representatives to:

-Restore the Nebraska Parkinson’s Disease Registry and provide it with reliable, recurring funding.
-Amend Nebraska law so the registry is no longer prevented from receiving General Fund support.
-Modernize the registry through secure electronic reporting and publish annual statewide incidence and prevalence reports while protecting patient privacy.
-Support the University of Nebraska Medical Center in pursuing designation as a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence.
-Investigate Nebraska’s elevated Parkinson’s diagnosis rate, including possible environmental and agricultural risk factors.
-Expand access to movement-disorder specialists, telehealth, rehabilitation, exercise programs, education, caregiver assistance, and support services—especially in rural and western Nebraska.
-Provide the public with a substantive written response explaining what actions will be taken and when.

Nebraska was once a national leader in Parkinson’s surveillance. It can lead again.

This is not a partisan issue. Parkinson’s affects patients, families, caregivers, employers, healthcare providers, rural communities, and taxpayers. Better surveillance and specialized care will help Nebraska understand the problem, prepare for its growing impact, and give affected families the support they deserve.

Please sign this petition and ask Nebraska’s leaders to treat Parkinson’s disease with the urgency it demands.