OLYMPIA, WA--Among the many items being discussed in Olympia during this legislative session, few are as much of a hot-button issue as stem cell research.A bill to clarify the state's position on that issue was on the agenda today in the House of Representatives.
House Bill 1268 would establish a state advisory committee to develop guidelines on research.
Also, the bill would require health care providers to inform fertility patients of their options when it comes the disposal of unused embryos.
The bill is being sponsored in part by local representatives Shirley Hankins and Larry Haler.
The hope is to establish a precedent on dealing with the issue, before it becomes a problem in the future.
One thing the bill does do is prohibit the cloning of human beings.
Under that ban, any attempt to clone a human would carry a civil penalty of $100,000.
