Arizona House Committee Approves Constitutional Amendment To Ban All Human Cloning

Main Category: Genetics
Article Date: 21 Feb 2005 - 8:00 PDT

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The Arizona House Health Committee on Wednesday approved 6-3 a proposed constitutional amendment... (HCR 2025) that would ban all human cloning in the state, the AP/kold.com reports. If the proposed amendment is passed by the state House Human Services Committee, the full House and the state Senate, it will be put on the ballot to be approved by voters in 2006, according to the AP/kold.com. State Rep. Chuck Gray (R), a supporter of the amendment, said that although he was not aware of any human cloning taking place in Arizona, the state needs to pass the amendment to prevent activities that could "undermine the sanctity of human life," according to the AP/kold.com (AP/kold.com, 2/16).

Other Cloning Measure
The state House on Monday approved a bill (HB 2221) that would ban state funding for human reproductive cloning, including cloning for research purposes. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Bob Stump (R), would outlaw funding for asexual human reproduction achieved by the introduction of genetic material from human cells into an egg that has had its nucleus removed "so as to produce an organism, at any stage of development, that is genetically virtually identical to an existing or previously existing human organism." Arizona currently does not fund such research, but critics of the measure said it would restrict future research and harm the development of the state's biotechnology industry (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/16). Nine states currently have laws banning some form of human cloning (AP/kold.com, 2/16).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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