Anti-Cloning Legislation Defeated in House Rules Committee

APRIL 30, 2007, JEFFERSON CITY, MO – On Monday, April 30, 2007, the House Rules Committee voted 4-3 against HJR 11 from going to the House floor for full debate. HJR 11, sponsored by Rep. Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis County), would have banned all forms of human cloning in Missouri.

The resolution was filed to correct the incorrect definition of cloning contained in Amendment 2 passed by Missouri voters in November 2006. Amendment 2 misled voters into believing that they were voting to ban human cloning in Missouri when the amendment actually gave constitutional protection to human cloning. HJR 11 sought to close loopholes in the amendment and create a comprehensive ban on all forms of human cloning. If the resolution had passed through the legislature HJR 11 would have gone to the voters in 2008.

“The House Rules Committee has effectively squashed all debate on what is still a very critical issue to Missouri voters,” said Deacon Larry Weber, Executive Director of the Missouri Catholic Conference. “Amendment 2 passed by only 2 percent of the vote. Missouri voters were deceived by a $30 million dollar campaign into believing that Amendment 2 bans human cloning and offer hope for cures when it does just the opposite.”

The following Representatives voted in favor of HJR 11:

Rep. Carl Bearden (R-St. Charles), Rep. Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles), and Rep. Ron Richard (R-Joplin).

The following Representatives voted against HJR 11:

Rep. Shannon Cooper (R-Clinton), Rep. John Burnett (D-Kansas City), Rep. Michael Parson (R-Bolivar), and Rep. Mike Talboy (D-Kansas City).

Rep. Connie LaJoyce Johnson (D-St. Louis City) voted as present.