March 8, 2006: Stem cell bill survives filibuster attempt: Vote set for Thursday in state Senate

By Tom Stuckey
The Associated Press

March 8, 2006, 6:48 PM EST

State Republican Sens. Nancy Jacobs and J. Lowell Stoltzfus talk today during a debate over whether Maryland should use tax dollars to fund stem cell research. (AP photo) Mar 8, 2006

A bill authorizing use of state tax dollars to fund stem cell research in Maryland survived a filibuster attempt in the Senate today and appeared headed for passage when it came up for a final vote that was scheduled for Thursday.

The House has passed similar legislation, although there are some significant differences between the two that will have to be resolved before the session ends April 10 if the bill is to be sent to Gov. Robert L.Ehrlich Jr. to sign or veto.

The point of contention in the Senate was the use of state funds for research on stem cells taken from human embryos. That produced emotional opposition from opponents who consider it the equivalent of taking a human life because embryos are destroyed in the process.

To make the bill more palatable, supporters limited research only to embryos created during in vitro fertilization treatment that are not needed and would otherwise be destroyed. But that was not enough to satisfy opponents, who staged a filibuster to try to talk the bill to death by preventing it from coming to a vote.

It took Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller three tries and 4 1/2 hours to corral the 29 votes required to shut off debate in the 47-member Senate. Twenty-four votes are required to pass a bill.

Scientists believe research on embryonic and adult stem cells may produce cures for many debilitating diseases. Supporters of embryonic stem cell research, which they believe holds out the most promise, are pushing for state funding because President Bush prohibited use of federal funds for embryonic research except for a few cell lines that already existed when he imposed the ban.

Republican Sen. Andrew Harris of Baltimore County, who led the Senate fight against the bill, declared victory when the Senate adjourned after about six hours of debate on stem cell research.

Harris and other opponents were pleased that the Senate eliminated a provision giving research on embryonic stem cells priority over research on adult stem cells and that the bill authorizes, but does not require, appropriation of state funds to support research.

"We're coming out of here with no funding and no restriction. That's the bottom line," Harris said. "Yeah, I think that's pretty good."

But key supporters, including Susan O'Brien, executive director of Maryland Families for Stem Cell Research, said the vote was a victory.

"I think it's still a very important piece of legislation," O'Brien said. "The importance is the preservation of the eligibility for funding for embryonic stem cell research."

Ehrlich, who included $20 million in his budget for stem cell research but opposes the House and Senate bills, would not say whether he would sign the Senate version if it reaches his desk. A Senate budget subcommittee has voted to cut the funds in half to $10 million.

Sen. Paula Hollinger, D-Baltimore, sponsor of the bill, said Tuesday that the House may have to accept the Senate version because it might not be possible to get a bill through the Senate a second time.

"We're going to look at it and assess it," House Speaker Michael Busch said when asked if the House would be willing to take the Senate bill.

But he said there are major flaws in the amended bill, including the lack of a guarantee that state funds would be included in future budgets. The House bill would have required future governors to include at least $25 million a year for stem cell research. It also gave a priority for funding to research on embryonic stem cells that was eliminated in the Senate version.

Source URL:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-stem0308,0,6534138.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

Associated Press reporter Kristen Wyatt contributed to this story.
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