Oklahoma Gov. Henry vetoes stem cell ban bill
5 hours ago
By RON JENKINS
Associated Press Writer
(AP:OKLAHOMA CITY) Gov. Brad Henry waited out a late-night session of the Oklahoma House on Wednesday and vetoed a bill outlawing embryonic stem cell research. He said the bill unjustly criminalizes scientists and threatens research to save lives.
The veto message came down just after 11 p.m., after adjournment of the 101-member House, preventing an immediate override attempt.
Henry said there "are all kinds of misconceptions and misinformation" about the issue and the bill has been misrepresented as an anti-abortion measure.
"It's important to point out that this legislation does nothing to stop an abortion or save a single life, but it does threaten life-saving research and unjustly criminalizes scientists who perform important work," he said.
"It would be morally repugnant to me to sign legislation outlawing scientific research that saves lives. I don't think this bill is consistent with Oklahoma values, and I cannot approve it in good conscience."
He said such research has been supported by such anti-abortion conservatives as former first lady Nancy Reagan and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
Henry's veto came after chambers of commerce in Oklahoma City and Tulsa said it would hurt the state's ability to attract biotech companies and federal research dollars to the state.
Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, who introduced the bill, reacted to the opposition by saying that "if these people value money more than human life, then they need to find another state, or even another country."
Reynolds said late Wednesday he would move to override in the House, which passed his bill on an 82-6 vote, but he did not know when.
"I'd rather do it sooner than later," he said.
Henry said he wanted to veto the bill after lawmakers went home so he could fight a possible override attempt early Thursday.
"This is a critical issue for the future of this state, and I think it is important that any veto override attempt occur in the light of day so all Oklahomans can see their lawmakers at work," he said.
He had until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to veto the bill, spoiling any quick override plans. The House is required to adjourn by midnight.
Proponents of the legislation object to the ethics of using embryonic stem cells for research.
Henry said these cells are produced in medical facilities where women seek in-vitro fertilization and the cells ultimately end up being discarded anyway.
He said scientists believe such research could yield new treatments or cures for cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, blindness, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, spinal cord injuries and a variety of other ailments.
"The research utilizes unused embryonic stem cells, or blastocysts, originally created to assist couples in their effort to have children," Henry said. "Because in-vitro fertilization procedures often create multiple blastocysts for a single couple, many are unused and ultimately destroyed and discarded."
The bill makes it a misdemeanor for a scientist to perform any form of embryonic stem cell research.
"House Bill 1326 criminalizes and punishes a scientist who, with the couple's consent, elects to conduct stem cell research with an unused blastocyst before it is destroyed," Henry said.
He said the bill would discourage research-based industries from continuing to locate in Oklahoma, dealing "a major blow to long-running efforts to make the state a beacon of bioscience and high-technology research."
The measure was supported by anti-abortion activists. Tony Lauinger, the state chairman of Oklahomans for Life, Inc., expressed disappointment in the veto.
"The research which this bill prohibits destroys an embryonic human being," he said. "We should not kill the youngest members of our species, homo sapiens, for our own use."
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Rayilyn Brown
Director AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
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