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Cloning process gets no funding Jindal likely to sign stem-cell measure Thursday, May 22, 2008 By Jan Moller BATON ROUGE -- The Legislature appears ready to settle its often emotional multi-year battle over embryonic stem-cell research after a Senate panel Wednesday overwhelmingly agreed to a bill that would ban the use of taxpayer dollars for a controversial research technique. House Bill 370 by Rep. Cameron Henry, R-Jefferson, would prohibit state and federal dollars from supporting "somatic cell nuclear transfer," which involves removing the nucleus from an unfertilized egg and replacing it with genetic material from an adult tissue cell, such as skin or bone tissue. Henry's bill cleared the Senate Health and Welfare Committee without objection, sending it to the Senate floor with enough political momentum that it is likely to reach Gov. Bobby Jindal's desk. The governor said during last year's campaign that he opposes the research techniques in question, which often are called "therapeutic cloning," meaning that he's likely to sign the bill. Moments later, a more far-reaching bill to restrict stem-cell research was voluntarily deferred by its author, who said he didn't want to refight battles that have sharply divided the Legislature in recent years. "I don't know if it's worth it when we already had Cameron's bill," said Sen. Dan "Blade" Morrish, R-Jennings, whose Senate Bill 738 would have banned therapeutic cloning completely rather than just restrict funding. Morrish said Henry's bill represents a compromise between members of the scientific community, many of whom feared that a far-reaching ban would inhibit their ability to recruit college faculty, and religious activists who oppose research techniques that they view as the creation and destruction of human life. Dorinda Bordlee, vice president of the Bioethics Defense Fund, a Metairie law firm that has long pushed for a cloning ban, said cutting off taxpayer financing accomplishes the group's goal because there is no private money flowing to such research. . . . . . . . Jan Moller can be reached at [log in to unmask] or (225) 342-5207. Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson 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