Stem Cell research vote in Ohio today!

[Lynn Farris]

Just got this note from Eric Fingerhut and I thought I would share it.

This alert is to invite you to watch the Ohio Legislature Live channel right now at http://www.ohiochannel.org/ to watch an historic on the floor of the Ohio Senate regarding the future of science, technology and cures in the state of Ohio. I don't know if you'll get it in time, but it's worth sending for two reasons:

1) You need to know that SB 210, voted out of committee quickly this morning with little dialogue or public comment, will be voted on momentarily in the Ohio Senate. According to one expert who has analyzed the bill, "The language in the proposed legislation is extremely dangerous. It is far too broad and would criminalize the use of any embryonic tissue or egg-derived material. It would have a profoundly negative effect on the existing non-embyronic stem cell work as research advances tend to be inter-related: techniques developed in one area can be adapted to advance a second area. By restricting ES work so severely, non-ES work would suffer. That would have a negative effect long-term on the qualtity and type of healthcare that could be provided in Ohio."

2) Its companion bill in the House of Representatives will most likely be voted on by the full House of Representives tomorrow (Wednesday, November 16, 2005). There's still time to let your representatives know they should vote NO on HB 355. Representative contact information is at http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/

More to come.