State lawmakers have a bad habit of passing tough-on-crime laws without regard to the impact on the prison population. At least this one should have no such effect, unless there’s some unknown cluster of Dr. Frankensteins operating in the state: State Rep. Forrest Knox, R-Altoona, and 38 other House members want to make it a felony to create animal-human hybrids in Kansas.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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37 Comments
Our legislators are afraid of a little competition?
I lost the link, but I use to go to a site “Dumbest laws in America” one was I believe Tulsa Ok. It is illegal to hunt whales within the city limits. I liked the law that made it illegal to carry a ice cream cone in your pocket on Sunday… Was there are real problem of this? The list goes on and on, now it seems there maybe a new one to add. And to the city of Wichita, I am sorry I keep forgetting my shotgun. So I have not fire a round before entering the intersection of Douglas and I think Oliver in awhile.. Please do not send me a ticket!
Rhonda’s link is wrong – it’s not a Kansas.com story – it’s from Lawrence.
Here:
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/feb/07/legislative_notebook/
Scroll down to ‘Clone Wars.’
I see no problem with restricting the creation of ‘things’ that are part human/part animal. When it comes to cloning – and I support most of it – don’t mix the two. Clone a cow – as a cow, clone a pig – as a pig, clone a human as a human. But don’t cross clone and end up with a human baby that has a pig’s snout and a horse’s ass.
That crosses a line with me.
But I doubt Mr Knox’ bill is even needed – since I doubt that is happening in the first place. But if it is – sure – send them to the Big House. What impact would it have on prison population? Probably ZERO, since it probably is not happening. At least not in a Kansas lab.
Maybe in China…..
Our legislators don’t have enough to do.
Wouldn’t this law empty out the State Legislature?
LOL!
Is there a place I could read the actual bill? I’m wondering if this isn’t a back door effort to make embryonic stem-cell research illegal. I don’t trust those legislators.
MANIMALS
Make it a unisex gender non-specific term : Kanimals.
Manpanzies: I’ve wondered for years if men and chimps could be crossed. I wonder why we don’t try it. It would be interesting to see which were the dominate genes. And such a creature would have theological implications no one wants to think of, too.
One of the ways we are working biological miracles is to transfer genes from one species to another. Rootworm resistant corn is just one example.
Some humans apparently can’t be infected with AIDS. We might someday be able to find out why, and confer those properties on our offspring.
What if the genetic material to do so comes from a pig, or a monkey? There are good reasons to mix species. Of course, there’s danger too. But there always is on new frontiers.
They use pig heart valves in coronary valve replacement procedures routinely and have for several years … just wondering, would that count ?
But who then is responsible for the Chimp-Man known as W?
rm64, I believe that now we have the technology to grow human body parts on “host animals”.That’s where the ethics concerns begin.
TRACY, I was wondering if that was where this bill came from, and if so, the point thereof. Without reading the language of the proposed legislation (Linda: if you know the bill number, you can look at it on the state legislature web site), I’m not sure what it attempts to proscribe. Hypothetically, would it prohibit the use of mice with human immune systems “implanted” for research? I don’t know. It does worry me, though.
And yes, TRACY, there are ethical issues out there which should be addressed.
Can we just give Topeka to Nebraska? Just think of the advantages – no Phred, no Legislature…..
$5 says Rep. Knox wandered into a Barnes & Noble (hard as that is to believe…more likely Sam’s Club) and read (even more unbelievably) the dustjacket on Michael Chrichton’s new novel, “Next”…which is about this specific issue.
It would appear that none of you psuedo intellectuals picked up that little connection? Then again a good chunk of the posters here probably think that Chrichton’s “Jurrassic Park” was non fiction and detailed what happens when we start messing around with stem cells and DNA.
This is the relevant section that GSheridan links to.
“Clone wars continue
“Chairwoman Brenda Landwehr hopes to have the House Health and Human Services Committee vote this week on a bill setting out the legal definitions for 31 terms related to cloning and embryonic stem cell research.
“Landwehr, R-Wichita, supports the measure, as do critics of human cloning and embryonic stem cell research.
“The biosciences industry contends the measure would “marginalize Kansas” as it attempts to nurture companies and research.
“Some of the bill’s definitions are likely to inspire controversy. For example, it says a “cloned embryo” is created from a process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer, which some researchers don’t view as cloning.
“However, the measure wouldn’t impose any restrictions on research or limit what research state dollars can finance.
“Landwehr said the bill is about people using consistent definitions to avoid confusion if legislators debate such restrictions.
“Meanwhile, 39 House members, led by Rep. Forrest Knox, R-Altoona, introduced a bill that would make it a felony to create animal-human hybrids.”
I think this is a backdoor method of limiting stem cell research in Kansas as LindainKS wondered. This would be an unfortunate thing. There is a basic research company in Kansas City, MO (I am pretty sure) & I think KU had hopes of attracting such research business to our side of the state line. Maybe the city of Lawrence can pass an ordinance exmpting themselves from this state law…
Landwehr is a really out of step social conservative who was nearly defeated by an unknown, and somewhat strange, democratic opponent. I think redefining her legislative post makes more sense that these definitions she’s proposing.
I’ll see if I can find a link to the bill itself.
This is Landwehr’s bill which sets out definitions:
http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2098.pdf
These two bills are related to human cloning:
http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2252.pdf
http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2255.pdf
LindainKS, I believe you have access to knowledge about stem cell research. I would be interested in knowing what your sources would say, if anything, about this proposed legislation.
This is the Knox, et al. bill barring human/animal hybridization:
http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2403.pdf
SD, thanks for the links. On the Knox bill; it needs a lot of work.
Wondering if there isn’t something antithetical to the biotech initiative for which funding is being furnished and some of the contents of the various bills SD has helpfully linked.
Finally, the Republicans are tackling the real problems. Human/animal hybrids have been such a problem lately and something must be done. Just yesterday a satyr was throwing poo at my car and a centaur was blocking traffic.
For the Republicans I’m amazed I have to point this out. The Island of Dr. Moreau is a work of fiction, it isn’t real. Start doing something constructive. Is there something in the Republican party platform which requires them to make Kansas look moronic?
I just got back home and haven’t yet read the bills, but will and I’ll also get some input on what the hidden agenda might be.
The Stowers Institute in KC, MO has funded two young scientists (both originally from the plains states; one from right here in Wichita) to the tune of about $10 million for the next four years. Both men are at Harvard conducting embryonic stem cell research as Stowers Investigators. They hope to bring these two scientists to their facilities in KC by the end of those four years. And yes, they will need grad students, etc. (thus the KU connection). Of course Missouri just very narrowly passed a stem cell initiative last fall and opponents are going to fight it so the political atmosphere isn’t yet settled.
I just think legislators are crooked and corrupt enough to pass laws that have a different agenda than what is said out loud. Of course, they could also be dumb enough to think “Next” is a true story…
Here’s our Wichita guy:http://www.massgeneral.org/news/releases/062306stowers.html
Doug, you funny HA!Yeah Ms. Inks, you’re right.You certainly can’t judge the intent by the title of the bill.Kinda’ like the ‘clean air’ initiative.
After reading the bills I’m positive the intent is to limit stem cell research.
If the president of the US is stupid enough to veto a bill that allows funding for research done ONLY with left-over embryos destined to be thrown away and then his bots are even more stupid and offer praise to this wondrous man for protecting life, it shouldn’t be any problem for the state of Kansas to go even further with their limitations. We have some easily fooled among us.
Forget about progress. We’re protecting life. Yeah, buddy.
I still like my nic, Tracy. Maybe I should just change it.
After reading the bills I’m positive the intent is to limit stem cell research.
If the president of the US is stupid enough to veto a bill that allows funding for research done ONLY with left-over embryos destined to be thrown away and then his bots are even more stupid and offer praise to this wondrous man for protecting life, it shouldn’t be any problem for the state of Kansas to go even further with their limitations. We have some easily fooled among us.
Forget about progress. We’re protecting life. Yeah, buddy.
I still like my nic, Tracy. Maybe I should just change it.
Oh Ms.Inks that would just make my week. Really.
And as you know, I’m big on ESC research. Thanks for doing the reading, my state rep (a republican) has always voted in favor of this research, thank God.
As soon as “Brenda Landwehr” came into view in the post, I just started laughing.
Howling, really.
OF COURSE!!! That is the problem right there!!!
With bonbon gone, I bet brenda’s wingnuttia work has doubled.
She’s gotta carry the stew-pud load for both of them now.
OMG. I just should have known. If it is brenda law, it has about the same credibility as Burt Reynolds and the boys’ “manlaw”.
OF COURSE brenda would be the wingnut behind the wheel here.
Jesus wept…..
Hey, I have a leaky heart valve and may need surgery. For a PIG VALVE.
I bet brenda is specifically targeting me in this nuttia bill.
hehehehehehehehhehehehehehehhehehee
PIG snort here just for sanford…..
Linda, having read the texts of the bills in question, it is clear to my mind that the intent thereof is to limit embryonic stem cell research. I’m wondering by the way certain terms are defined therein if the real target isn’t the Stowers Institute and the KU bioscience research program.
Again, I wonder the apparent conflict between the funding for a statewide bioscience initiative and these particular bills, which seemingly attempt to cut off one area of the scientific research determined by the legislature to be deserving of funding. While there is much which can be done with plants, cattle, etc. in the area of bioscience, it seems to me there is much more than that within the bioscience community which is of interest; and even though these other areas might well not be ESC research, the mere existence of any statutes as are contemplated by the bills introduced would seemingly inhibit the same. From my limited exposure to “pure scientific research”, it is often difficult if not impossible to predict where it leads.
I could spin some hypotheticals here, but I am of the opinion that “human cloning” or “cloning”, e.g., can be more narrowly defined than what these bills provide, as I believe most if not all of us are against human cloning as we, as lay folks, understand the term, viz., making a carbon copy of an individual through cellular manipulation.
I agree, VT. The only reason for these bills is to limit embryonic stem cell research, and I agree about the cloning as all reasonable people understand it (make an identical copy). But I’ve seen the bots get worked up and scared over the craziest of ideas. Seems when you’re not thinking there are many ways to be fooled. Be very afraid of those nasty scientists who are trying to find cures and treatments for mankind. They will be found too and they will be available to everyone, even those bots.
One of these days, those little grey aliens are going to take over our planet.
TOO LATE!
It would seem to be a good time to re-post this article on the history and politics of stem cell research. The article is from the _Nature_ publishing group.
http://www.nature.com/gt/journal/v9/n11/pdf/3301744a.pdf
I plan to write my Representative and ask her to oppose anything that would marginalize Kansas.
Marginalize Landwehr, not Kansas! [new bumper sticker]
LindainKS,
Thanks for the link to the bio on the new Stowers researcher.
The Stowers, as I understand it, are both cancer survivors and are interested enough in this cutting edge medical research that they are putting their money where there mouths are. I read where they contributed $1 million to help pass the legislation that California adopted to facilitate stem cell research.
Here is a link to their site:
http://www.stowers-institute.org/default.asp
It seems that the leg has lots of free time to debate stupid bills or finding solutions to problems that don’t exist yet somehow passing the budget always gets left for last and we have to pay OT to our dofus reps.
It seems that the leg has lots of free time to debate stupid bills or finding solutions to problems that don’t exist yet somehow passing the budget always gets left for last and we have to pay OT to our dofus reps.
Excellent post Linda. And to think you said you couldn’t keep up with these people. Your stuff is always a class act lady.