SB 1565: ANTI-WHEELCHAIR, ANTI-STEMCELL, AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

No matter where you live in the country, this affects you.

A bill in California would remove our voter-chosen preference for embryonic 
stem cell research.

If this is allowed, not only will this be imposed on California -but through 
it, the nation.

The bill, Senate Bill 1565 (Kuehl, Runner) was pushed through the California 
Senate without the poison pill amendment-only after it left the Senate was 
the anti-embryonic provision inserted by Senator George Runner, a long-term 
enemy not only of embryonic stem cell research, but also of the California 
stem cell program itself.

We need to force a quick re-examination of a bill the Senators thought they 
knew.

How would passage of this bill affect stem cell research outside California 
?

Think of the message this will send: if even in the stem cell center of the 
world, we are seen to be turning away from embryonic stem cell research?

This would be like saying, well, uh President Bush was right to be against 
this stuff-look, they don't even want it in California !

This cannot go unchallenged.

Already, our stem cell action community is swinging into action.

CAMR, the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, came out in 
strong opposition-and CAMR is a group of many groups, standing together for 
medical research. Other groups as well-see attachment for five pages of 
groups and individuals who support stem cell research and are accordingly 
opposed to SB 1565

We need FAXES and overnight mail sent to three addresses:

1.   fax and mail to Senate Floor Analysis Unit
a.   fax to: 916-327-4478
b.   mail to:
                                                              i.      Senate 
Floor Analysis Unit
California State Senate
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
2.   fax and mail to Perata
a.   fax to: 916-327-1997
b.   mail to:
                                                              i.      Senate 
President pro Tem Don Perata
State Capitol, Room 205
Sacramento, CA  95814

3.   fax and mail to the Governor requesting veto:
a.   fax to: 916-558-3160
b.   mail to:
                                                              i. 
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

In case you would like a little more information,  visit 
www.Americansforcures.org, www.camradvocacy.org, or www.stemcellbattles.com.

Finally, here  is the letter I am sending: feel free to use any part of it 
which is useful.

And thanks,

Don C. Reed

P.S. Karen Miner came through her operation successfully, and has now moved 
into a rehabilitation hospital. She thanks everyone who sent her 
get-well-soon cards and emails.


Dear____________:

Please vote no on Senate Bill 1565 (Kuehl, Runner), a bill which attacks our 
state's magnificent stem cell research program.

SB 1565 serves no useful purpose. Its original goal (providing low-cost 
access to future stem cell treatments for the uninsured) has already been 
guaranteed by the California program.  Instead, SB 1565 places obstacles and 
delays in the path of research for cure. SB 1565 defies the will of those 
most in need of stem cell research benefits, people in wheelchairs who 
worked so hard to pass the Golden State 's stem cell program into law. That 
is why SB 1565 is opposed by more than 80 patient rights, medical, science, 
educational and research groups. (visit www.camradvocacy.org for letter of 
opposition.)

SB 1565 is quite likely unconstitutional, because it contains a newly added 
amendment, inserted by Senator George Runner, an opponent of embryonic stem 
cell research.

First, remember that California enacted Proposition 71 for one very specific 
reason: to fund the embryonic stem cell research which Washington denied.

"(C)" .a high priority shall be placed on funding pluripotent stem 
cell.research that cannot, or is unlikely to, receive timely or sufficient 
federal funding.Other research categories.shall not be funded"-Article XXXV 
of the California Constitution: Section 5, Chapter 3. California Stem Cell 
Research and Cures Bond Act, Article 1. 125290.60.

SB 1565 attempts to sweep away that Constitutional guarantee, saying: "Not 
withstanding paragraph (C), any other scientific research...may be funded."

In law, the California stem cell program may only be amended to ".further 
the purposes of.the measure."-(Section 8, Amendments).  That standard has 
not been met.

Senate Bill 1565 has been rushed through at budget crunch time, denying this 
far-reaching and damaging bill the close attention which would reveal its 
flaws.

On behalf of all our loved ones who suffer chronic disease or disability, I 
urge you to vote  NO on Senate Bill 1565.

Don C. Reed
Sponsor, Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act
co-chair, Californians for Cures
Vice President, Public Policy, Americans for Cures

Don C. Reed is co-chair of Californians for Cures, and writes for their web 
blog, www.stemcellbattles.com. Reed was citizen-sponsor for California's 
Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, named after his 
paralyzed son; he worked as a grassroots advocate for California's Senator 
Deborah Ortiz's three stem cell regulatory laws, served as an executive 
board member for Proposition 71, the California Stem Cells for Research and 
Cures Act, and is director of policy outreach for Americans for Cures. The 
retired schoolteacher is the author of five books and thirty magazine 
articles, and has received the National Press Award.



Don C. Reed
Sponsor, Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act
Founder and Co-Chair, Californians for Cures
Vice President of Public Policy, Americans for Cures Foundation

"People Powered Advocacy for Stem Cell Research"


Rayilyn Brown
Director AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
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