Professor
02-25-2007, 09:00 PM
Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-070223stemcell-story,1,6028481.story?coll=chi-politics-topheadlines
Illinois Senate approves stem-cell bill
By Ray Long and Rick Pearson
Tribune staff reporters
February 23, 2007, 6:28 PM CST
SPRINGFIELD -- Bolstered by last fall's election successes, the Senate's Democratic majority achieved a long-sought ideological victory Friday by giving overwhelming approval to a measure to encourage stem-cell research in Illinois.
The 35-23 vote, sending the highly symbolic and political measure to the House, reflected in part the gains made in the Nov. 7 election by Democrats who embraced the controversial medical research in winning campaigns for four seats previously held by Republicans who opposed the research. A vote more than two years ago on a similar measure fell two votes shy of approval.
Sponsoring Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston) called the issue "one of the most morally compelling challenges" facing the General Assembly. He and Comptroller Dan Hynes, who went to the Senate floor for the vote, have called for the state to put more than $25 million into stem-cell research.
Supporters of the measure acknowledged the practical effect of the legislation was largely to demonstrate that Illinois wanted to attract and keep researchers and grant money in hopes that stem-cell advances could address cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and other debilitating conditions.
The bill would ensure Illinois researchers could work with embryonic stem cells, which can be made into virtually any type of tissue. The cells typically come from early-stage human embryos that are left over from in-vitro fertilization. Such work has drawn opposition from groups opposed to abortion rights that argue research that requires the destruction of human embryos is immoral.
The bill also would outlaw human cloning.
Democratic Sens. Dan Kotowski of Park Ridge and Linda Holmes of Aurora, two of the new lawmakers, were among several senators who offered heart-felt testimony that research could help battle illnesses suffered by friends, relatives and, in some cases, themselves.
"Do we know for sure if stem-cell research will lead to the cure or the elimination of many catastrophic illnesses? No," she said. "We don't know that. But do we owe it to ourselves to find out if it can? Absolutely."
Senators also sent the House a measure that would require convicted sex offenders to register their e-mail and instant messenger names with local authorities. Another bill gaining approval would reinstate a 7 percent cap on Cook County property-tax assessments, though it faces an uncertain future in the House.
rlong@tribune.com
rap30@aol.com
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Illinois Senate approves stem-cell bill
By Ray Long and Rick Pearson
Tribune staff reporters
February 23, 2007, 6:28 PM CST
SPRINGFIELD -- Bolstered by last fall's election successes, the Senate's Democratic majority achieved a long-sought ideological victory Friday by giving overwhelming approval to a measure to encourage stem-cell research in Illinois.
The 35-23 vote, sending the highly symbolic and political measure to the House, reflected in part the gains made in the Nov. 7 election by Democrats who embraced the controversial medical research in winning campaigns for four seats previously held by Republicans who opposed the research. A vote more than two years ago on a similar measure fell two votes shy of approval.
Sponsoring Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston) called the issue "one of the most morally compelling challenges" facing the General Assembly. He and Comptroller Dan Hynes, who went to the Senate floor for the vote, have called for the state to put more than $25 million into stem-cell research.
Supporters of the measure acknowledged the practical effect of the legislation was largely to demonstrate that Illinois wanted to attract and keep researchers and grant money in hopes that stem-cell advances could address cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and other debilitating conditions.
The bill would ensure Illinois researchers could work with embryonic stem cells, which can be made into virtually any type of tissue. The cells typically come from early-stage human embryos that are left over from in-vitro fertilization. Such work has drawn opposition from groups opposed to abortion rights that argue research that requires the destruction of human embryos is immoral.
The bill also would outlaw human cloning.
Democratic Sens. Dan Kotowski of Park Ridge and Linda Holmes of Aurora, two of the new lawmakers, were among several senators who offered heart-felt testimony that research could help battle illnesses suffered by friends, relatives and, in some cases, themselves.
"Do we know for sure if stem-cell research will lead to the cure or the elimination of many catastrophic illnesses? No," she said. "We don't know that. But do we owe it to ourselves to find out if it can? Absolutely."
Senators also sent the House a measure that would require convicted sex offenders to register their e-mail and instant messenger names with local authorities. Another bill gaining approval would reinstate a 7 percent cap on Cook County property-tax assessments, though it faces an uncertain future in the House.
rlong@tribune.com
rap30@aol.com
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune