Senate takes up cloning ban

The chamber is slated to open debate on four bills to prohibit human cloning while - supporters hope - not discouraging potentially valuable medical research.

''We worked hard not to interfere with the research community,'' said Sen. Loren Bennett (R-Canton Township) sponsor of the Senate bill in the package.

''The research community tells me we have the language'' needed to block human cloning without chilling valid experimentation, he said, adding the legislation would permit the cloning of ''anything short of a human being.''

''Everything else is still legal. Everything else is still desirable because it would lead to a better human condition,'' he said.

The bills have no visible opposition. They emerged last week on 3-0 votes from the Senate Health Policy and Senior Citizens Committee.

Michigan is in the forefront of opposing human cloning. Only California has acted, imposing a five-year moratorium on such procedures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

But similar bills have been introduced in 23 states, the NCSL said.

Under the Michigan bills, a person with a medical license who engaged in human cloning could lose that license for up to five years. Violators of the new law would be liable for civil and criminal fines of up to $10 million and imprisonment for up to 10 years.

Three of the four bills already have passed the House in slightly different form, as the House voted overwhelmingly in January to ban the practice in Michigan. That followed the apparently successful cloning of the sheep Dolly and increasing discussion of possible attempts to clone a human.

A bill to ban human cloning was put on indefinite hold in the U.S. Senate earlier this year when lawmakers expressed concerns it could slow scientific research. And the Scottish scientist who cloned Dolly said he may have made a mistake and will try the task again with other kinds of animals.

President Clinton has called for a federal ban on human cloning.

The state Senate is scheduled to open debate on legislation to establish a state lead-paint removal program. That's to comply with federal mandates which require every state to enact a lead-paint program including removal and disposal of lead paint.

''This bill is the result of 5 1/2 years of work,'' said Sen. Dale Shugars (R-Portage) sponsor of the legislation. He said it's intended to address ''the levels of toxic lead still affecting some of Michigan's children.''

Provisions of the bill include a program to accredit and certify persons or businesses dealing with lead-based problems.

The state faces a June 1 deadline to have the program in place, and risks losing federal funds if it doesn't.

In the House, lawmakers are expected to move minor bills off its calendar, now bulging with 160 items. Much of them are minor bills making technical changes in state laws for one reason or another.

One such cleanup package deals with making personal protection orders harder to get. The House may debate the nine-bill package this week.

The bills would alter language in personal protection order laws adopted four years ago. The way some read the law now, anyone who feels threatened can take out a protection order.

Under the changes, the orders could only be obtained by victims of stalking or domestic violence, not neighbors involved in squabbles over hedges or school kids trying to escape playground bullies.

04-20-98