Gov. Tim Pawlenty has threatened to veto a stem-cell research bill without stricter limitations on experimentation using human embryos.

“Absent the ability to use the full gamut of stem cells that are available, the research doesn’t work,” Cohen said.

A House version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis) has passed two committees so far.

A coalition of 55 pro-life organizations held a rally on April 24 asking University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks to end the institution’s destruction of human embryos. Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) held a news conference at the state Capitol to announce the “act of solidarity on behalf of the most vulnerable and defenseless human beings.”

“The protection of living human embryos at their most vulnerable stage is one of the greatest human rights issues of our time,” MCCL Executive Director Scott Fischbach said.

Dr. Meri Firpo, associate professor at the Stem Cell Institute on the U of M Minneapolis campus, has testified recently on behalf of the Kahn-Cohen bill. According to MCCL, The Kahn-Cohen bill would allow millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to kill living human embryos.

Funds also could finance the large-scale production of cloned human embryos for the sole purpose of destroying them for experimentation.


Sexuality education
The Minnesota Family Council and EdWatch have teamed up to ask legislators to reject provisions in the House K-12 education spending bill.

Authored by Sen. Sandra Pappas (DFL-St. Paul), the bill allows “comprehensive family life and sexuality education.” It requires school districts to offer sex education that is “age appropriate” and would also allow districts to independently establish policies and curriculum for providing the education.

Both the House and Senate Education Committees have approved the bills and both were referred to finance committees.

“These [bills] are nothing short of a government assault on the minds of our children and a massive takeover of parenting in the state of Minnesota,” said Dr. Karen Efrem of EdWatch.

Efrem cited provisions that would set norms for all children from birth to age five in areas like mental health, gender issues, diversity training and environmentalism.

“These have nothing to do with closing the achievement gap,” Efrem said.

Tom Prichard, president of the MFC, said the new bills would force comprehensive sex education on Minnesota teens.

“The discussion of abstinence in comprehensive sex education is merely window dressing,” Prichard said. “The focus of the curriculum is use of contraceptives. In addition, marriage is not encouraged. We can’t ignore marriage when sexual activity is discussed.”


Domestic partner benefits
The House approved a state government operations bill April 19 that would give health coverage for same-sex partners of state employees. A similar provision passed along with the Senate omnibus departments appropriation bill in March.

Pawlenty, who was part of the effort to remove the benefits from government employee contracts in 2003, said the current bill deserves a veto because of the same-sex provision and a host of other reasons.

“I don’t believe this is about insurance,” said Sen. Tom Neuville (R-Northfield). “I believe this is about creating a building block or laying a cornerstone for same-sex marriage.”

A bill passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee would allow patients the chance to designate a person as a domestic partner who would have the status of next of kin with respect to visitation and health care decisions. A similar bill is awaiting a House floor vote.

Sen. Betsy Wergin (R-Princeton) offered an amendment to the bill that would have removed the words “domestic partner” and substituted the phrase “designated person.” The amendment failed on a 4-8 roll call vote.


Abortion
The House approved a health bill in April that did not include proposed amendments to cut public funding of abortions. The Senate’s health care bill was also passed without amendments that would have directed millions of dollars to positive alternatives to abortions grants.

Opponents of the positive alternatives to abortion amendments said the funding would have been taken from other family planning services and clinics.

An amendment to the House health care bill that would have required doctors performing abortions to have clinical privileges at nearby hospitals was also rejected. The bill was considered a top priority by MCCL.


Medical Marijuana
Bills to allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to patients are moving ahead in both the House and Senate.

Law enforcement agencies have testified against the bills on grounds that legalizing the prescriptions for a substance that is illegal sends the wrong message.

Prichard testified against the medical marijuana bills earlier in the session.

“All one has to do is look at the bill to see that it authorizes the establishment of businesses on main street to dispense marijuana in addition to allowing 18-year-olds to grow upwards of 60 to 300 of pounds of marijuana. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize what they’re up to,” Prichard said.