| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to stem cell research; creating a stem |
| 3 | cell research program; requiring the program to conform to |
| 4 | certain ethical standards; requiring research to be |
| 5 | conducted in institutions within the state; providing an |
| 6 | appropriation; providing an effective date. |
| 7 |
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| 8 | WHEREAS, in 2000, Hadassah Medical Organization teamed up |
| 9 | with scientists in Australia and Singapore and developed six |
| 10 | embryonic stem cell lines from early human embryos, and |
| 11 | WHEREAS, these stem cell lines were developed in accordance |
| 12 | with the ethical guidelines published by the National Institutes |
| 13 | of Health, which requires that all cell lines be derived from |
| 14 | embryos that were originally created for fertility treatments, |
| 15 | and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, in April 2002, the National Institutes of Health |
| 17 | permitted the use of six existing stem cell lines meeting the |
| 18 | criteria articulated by President George W. Bush in his August |
| 19 | 9, 2001, address, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, scientists at the National Institutes of Health |
| 21 | and elsewhere are now able to access these cell lines to explore |
| 22 | new areas of research in this emerging field of technology, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, stem cells are cells that have the remarkable |
| 24 | potential to develop into many different cell types in the body, |
| 25 | theoretically dividing without limit to replenish other cells |
| 26 | for as long as the person or animal is alive, and |
| 27 | WHEREAS, when a stem cell divides, each daughter cell has |
| 28 | the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another |
| 29 | type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle |
| 30 | cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell, and |
| 31 | WHEREAS, this medical research holds the promise of |
| 32 | creating living tissue joints and organs that integrate with |
| 33 | existing organs and bone and function like natural body parts, |
| 34 | and |
| 35 | WHEREAS, eventually, stem cells could help those suffering |
| 36 | with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by growing new connections |
| 37 | between nerves and muscles, and |
| 38 | WHEREAS, stem cells can help cure juvenile diabetes by |
| 39 | turning embryonic stem cells into healthy, insulin-producing |
| 40 | islet cells, and |
| 41 | WHEREAS, it is believed Parkinson's disease could be cured |
| 42 | in as little as five years with adequate resources, and |
| 43 | WHEREAS, victims of spinal cord injuries would benefit |
| 44 | greatly with even limited restoration of lost functions such as |
| 45 | the partial use of a limb, the restoration of bladder control, |
| 46 | or being freed from pain, and |
| 47 | WHEREAS, stem cells may be used to treat the tissue |
| 48 | toxicity resulting from cancer therapy, and |
| 49 | WHEREAS, cancer cells may have similar properties to stem |
| 50 | cells and may provide insights into why cancer cells survive |
| 51 | despite aggressive treatments, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 52 |
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| 53 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 54 |
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| 55 | Section 1. There is hereby established a state stem cell |
| 56 | research program. The program shall use the ethical guidelines |
| 57 | published by the National Institutes of Health, requiring that |
| 58 | all cell lines be derived from the six existing stem cell line |
| 59 | embryos that were originally created for fertility treatments. |
| 60 | All research shall be conducted in institutions within the |
| 61 | state. |
| 62 | Section 2. The sum of $10 million is appropriated from the |
| 63 | General Revenue Fund to the stem cell research program. |
| 64 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |