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Embryonic stem cell research is prohibited in Arizona. The Center for Arizona Policy is a right-wing institution that wields a great deal of power on many issues in the Arizona State Legislature Ray Church protest fails to derail stem-cell bill SANTA FE - Hundreds of people came to the Legislature today for a committee hearing on the bill to make embryonic stem-cell research legal in New Mexico. So many showed up that there wasn't enough room for most of them in the committee room. And most of those present appeared to be against the bill. Senate Public Affairs Committee chair Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, rejected an appeal from one person to move the hearing to a larger room saying that's usually planned in advance. She allowed five people to speak on the bill on each side of the issue Archbishop Michael Sheehan of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe was among those present for the hearing. The Catholic Diocese opposes the bill saying an embryo is a life that should not be destroyed for any reason, but adopted. The diocese also brings up recent advances in skin cell research. Last year Harvard scientists announced they'd turned rejuvenated skin cells into what appear to be embryonic stem cells. Some said that eliminates the need for using embryonic stem cell research. "Why not put our money on research that doesn't have these ethical problems?" Sheehan asked. "We stand strongly in favor of scientific research but not scientific research that kills innocent human life." Proponents of the bill said it would only allow parents to donate the embryos to research instead of discarding them and that they're the parents' property. Those include the mother of Cody Unser who is partially paralyzed from a rare neurological syndrome and appeared with Gov. Bill Richardson at a news conference Monday announcing introduction of the bill. "I am Catholic; Cody is Catholic," Shelly Unser said. "This has been a very difficult thing, as a mother and as a Catholic mother, to deal with, and I'm sure it is for a lot of people. "But I think the science speaks for itself." Advocates of embryonic research said it provides the only possible cure for countless diseases and conditions like Parkinson's and spinal cord injuries. Governor Richardson is backing the bill that also looks for $2 million to hire researchers and train students. A similar bill died in the legislature last session due in part to pressure from the Catholic Church. The governor then called lawmakers back to two special sessions saying that was one bill he wanted passed. It still didn't happen. This afternoon the Senate committee voted 6-2 to give the bill a do-pass recommendation and send it on to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further hearings. The bill as written restricts the use of stem cells and provides penalties for things like human reproductive cloning. It prohibits creating an embryo for the sole purpose research. Reporter: Michael Herzenberg | Web Producer: Bill Diven Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn