The Virginia politics blog Not Larry Sabato notes that Virginia’s GOP-led House of Delegates and Democratic-controlled Senate passed a bill earlier this month that prevents the state’s Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund from financing research involving embryonic stem cells. From the text of the bill:
3. That no award from the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund may be provided if the otherwise qualified business performs research in Virginia on human cells or tissue derived from induced abortions or from stem cells obtained from human embryos, nor shall any award from the Fund be used for such research. The foregoing provision shall not apply to research conducted using stem cells other than embryonic stem cells.
4. That no investment shall be qualified pursuant to § 58.1–339.4 of the Code of Virginia if the otherwise qualified business performs research in Virginia on human cells or tissue derived from induced abortions or from stem cells obtained from human embryos. The foregoing provision shall not apply to research conducted using stem cells other than embryonic stem cells.
Another Virgina blog writes, “We have a short time to make [Gov.] Tim Kaine [D] realize his stance is wrong, and he needs to line item veto Article G paragraphs 3 and 4 in this legislation.”