LB660 is good compromise on stem cells

Over the last several years, there has been an on- going debate between the University of Nebraska Medical Center and pro-life, family, and ethical research groups regarding human cloning and the destruction of human embryos for research. Last week, we had a positive step forward with an amendment to which both sides have agreed.

Judiciary Committee Amendment 1884, an amendment to Legislative Bill 606, is the agreement that will replace my bill, LB 700. LB 700 was the Human Cloning Prohibition Act that would have banned human asexual reproduction by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), in other words, all human cloning. SCNT is the process that would be used to create cloned human embryos for the purpose of implantation or for the purpose of destroying the embryos to harvest embryonic stem cells for research.

Amendment 1884 will not put in place a complete human cloning ban in Nebraska like LB 700, but does make a good step forward in the regulation of unethical research in all public facilities in Nebraska. This amendment will prohibit any state funds or facilities to be used to create a human embryo by somatic cell nuclear transfer for any purpose. In addition, it will prohibit any state funds or facilities to be used to destroy human embryos for the purpose of research. Prohibiting tax dollars from being used for research that many Nebraskan's consider unethical is a very positive step in the right direction.

The agreement will also set up the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee that will grant up to $500,000 per year of matching funds for nonembryonic stem cell research in Nebraska. These funds will come from the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund and will be a great boost to ethical research already going on in our state.

Though pro-life groups and those championing for ethical research will not get all they wanted, I believe we have received a good portion of what we originally desired. LB 606 is on this week's legislative agenda, so I am excited and hopeful that we will see this passed and sent to the Governor in the near future.

Lastly, I would like to share with you that my final bill is having a public hearing this week. If you would like to come to the hearing and testify on the bill in Lincoln the hearing date is:

Feb. 27, 2008, in the Judiciary Committee at 1:30 p.m., LR 233 CA will have its public hearing. It is an amendment to the Nebraska Constitution that would be put before the voters to prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment based on race or sex by the state, state agencies, and political subdivisions.