News Release: Statement on Passage of Human Embryo Research Legislation

(LANSING)—Michigan Catholic Conference Vice President for Public Policy Paul A. Long offered the following comments today after the Senate Health Policy Committee passed legislation in a bipartisan fashion addressing human embryo research in Michigan:

“While nothing in this package of bills would infringe upon the will of the people regarding Proposal 2 of 2008, it is necessary for the Legislature to establish a statutory framework for human embryo research in Michigan. Currently, there are no set penalties for those who violate the provisions of Proposal 2; this legislation would address such critical matters, and provide a practical outline for establishing in state law what the voters have enshrined in the state constitution. Michigan Catholic Conference is grateful for the support of both Republicans and Democrats who voted to pass these bills out of committee and onto the full Senate.”

According to Senate Bills 647–652, those conducting human embryo research must file a one-page annual report with the Department of Community Health; buying or selling human embryos for valuable consideration would be prohibited, as would be the creation of human-animal chimeric embryos; a voluntary and written informed consent process would be established for those who provide in-vitro fertilization services; and, in order to uphold the original intent of the state’s cloning ban, the trafficking of cloned human embryos into the State of Michigan would be prohibited.

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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