Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Cloning

H.B. 4616 Rep. Andy Meisner

H.B. 4617 Rep. Mark Meadows

H.B. 4618 Rep. Mark Meadows

Current Status

H.B. 4616,7,8 came before the House Judiciary Committee 11/7/07, hearing testimony only. A vote may take place, but not before January 16, 2008. The bills were introduced 4/19/07.

H.B. 4616 lifts the prohibition on embryonic stem cell research and allows experimentation on cloned human embryos imported into the state. H.B. 4617 increases the penalty for reproductive cloning, and H.B. 4618 lists the sentences felonies committed.

Background

H.B. 4616 would amend the current ban by allowing research on and the destruction of live human embryos created for fertility purposes and donated by their parents. The bill would also permit cloned human embryos to enter the state and have their embryonic stem cells harvested, while destroying them in the process. In other words, the actual cloning process would remain a violation here in Michigan, however the extraction of the stem cells from clones imported into the state would be allowed, thus killing the live human cloned embryo.

History

The original version of the bills, H.B. 4900,1,2, were introduced June 8, 2005 by Rep. Andy Meisner, and sent to the Health Policy Committee. On March 22, 2006 testimony was heard but no vote was taken. The bills died in committee.