State Updates 7-3

State Updates 7-3

Just a bit here on things that are happening in some US States. In Maryland, the new law that approved $15 million in stem cell funding went into effect on July 1, but grants will be a while yet—the commission for evaluating research proposals has not even scheduled a first meeting yet. The Baltimore Sun reports that 11 of the 15 commissioners have been named; the other 4, to be chosen by the governor, will be announced on Thursday. 2 of those people will be chosen for their knowledge of biomedical ethics as related to religion. It is unknown yet how much of the money will be used for embryonic stem cell research and how much for adult stem cell research.

You’ve probably heard that the New Jersey government has shut down. Obviously the state has bigger things to worry about than stem cells right now, but the State Senate did approve a stem cell referendum last Friday. An AP story in Newsday says that the referendum is unlikely to get Assembly consideration.

Stem cells continue to be a political issue in races in Missouri and Wisconsin, but at this point nothing completely unexpected has happened. They’ll be worth watching more closely as November rolls around.