State legislators vary in responses to stem-cell, cloning proposals

Published: 2006-03-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As some state legislatures moved toward approval of funding for embryonic stem-cell research or human cloning, Catholics in Missouri were working to derail efforts to protect the practices in the state constitution. Legislators in Maryland and New Jersey approved measures in March that could fund research using embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells, while several lawmakers in Missouri joined a statewide coalition working to fight a possible November ballot initiative that would constitutionally protect human cloning and embryonic stem-cell research in the state. In Georgia, legislators were considering competing bills on stem-cell research. One would permit funding of adult stem-cell research only, while the other would designate funds for both adult and embryonic stem-cell research. In Mississippi, six different bills that would have banned human cloning for both reproductive and research purposes, declared human cloning to be against public policy, prohibited embryonic stem-cell research or promoted adult stem-cell research all died in committee. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, cloning- or stem-cell-related proposals also were pending in Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Washington state and West Virginia.

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