House Approves Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill by Veto Proof Margin
State House News Service
       The vote of 117-37 at about 8:20 pm capped a long day of debate on the issue, and appears to be sufficient to overcome a likely veto from Gov. Mitt Romney, who says the bill allows cloning.  “It looks like as if it’s an override-proof vote,” said Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee Co-Chairman Rep. Daniel Bosley (D-North Adams), who carried the bill on the floor.
       Supporters of the bill said the research holds the promise of curing a slate of debilitating diseases and made the case that somatic cell nuclear transfer, or therapeutic cloning, is ethical and will be strictly regulated.  House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi said after the session that the bill represents a “great step for medical research.”
       Opponents said that the Legislature was rushing forward into dangerous experiments with cloned embryos and expressed fear for the health of women who may donate eggs. They cautioned that legislative leaders will soon be requesting public funds to conduct such research, and unsuccessfully called on their colleagues to postpone a decision until after a presidential council releases its findings on the topic in April.
       Earlier in the day, supporters of an amendment described as banning therapeutic cloning won 45 votes, but 110 representatives voted against it. An amendment calling for altered nuclear transfer, an approach that supporters said does not involve cloning, failed on a vote of 125 to 31. There are substantive differences between the bill approved by the House and the one approved Wednesday by the Senate (S 2032) on a 35 to 2 vote, namely differing approaches to regulation and licensing by the state Department of Public Health.
         DiMasi and Senate President Robert Travaglini anticipate naming conference committee members Friday to hash out a compromise bill.  The Senate is in at 11 am and the House at noon. "We're looking for a workable compromise," Travaglini said.  DiMasi said he didn’t have a timetable for conference talks but felt they could probably be completed soon. Asked about the potential for public funding of embryonic stem cell research, DiMasi said “I can’t address that issue right now,” while noting that the private sector is already making substantial investments on its own. “I won’t rule it out but I won’t rule it in,” DiMasi said of public funding.