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Codey Still Bullish on Stem-Cell Research Bill

Posted on: Tuesday, 7 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Kaitlin Gurney, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Mar. 7--TRENTON -- You know what they say about the third time.

His first two bills to fund stem-cell research may have died in the Legislature, but Senate President Richard J. Codey is convinced his latest proposal to encourage the experimental biological research will become law.

Gov. Corzine and Assembly leaders have pledged support for the plan to build a New Brunswick facility for the fledgling Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey, Codey said yesterday.

"We're all committed to doing this as soon as possible," said Codey (D., Essex). "This is about finally sending the message we want to be a leader, not a laggard, in finding cures."

The Senate Budget Committee yesterday approved the bill, which would appropriate $150 million in unused bond capacity for the Stem Cell Institute.

The legislation also includes $50 million in bond money for a Camden biomedical research laboratory to be operated by Rutgers University-Camden and the Coriell Institute for Medical Research. Laboratory money for the New Jersey Institute of Technology campus in Newark may be added as well.

"The governor will work with Sen. Codey and the Legislature to move this quickly so we can see the promise of embryonic stem-cell research become a reality," Corzine spokesman Anthony Coley said.

New Jersey Right to Life executive director Marie Tasy said the $50 million for Camden was a "transparent move" designed to curry favor with Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D., Camden). Tasy and other stem-cell research foes say embryonic stem-cell research, which uses cells formed in the first days of life, is tantamount to abortion.

The legislation is nearly identical to a proposal that the Senate easily passed in July, when Codey also served as governor, but failed to gain Assembly Democratic leaders' support before the end of the legislative session in January. The Assembly also declined to support a Codey plan that would have put a $350 million bond issue for stem-cell research grants on the November ballot.

Corzine proposed his own plan to invest more than $250 million in stem-cell research during the gubernatorial campaign.

After Corzine proposes his state budget March 21, Codey said, Senate and Assembly Democrats will work with him to develop legislation for a bond referendum for research grants.

In December, New Jersey became the first state to award stem-cell research grants, divvying up $5 million among 17 researchers.

"There's going to be a facilities bill and a referendum bill passed this year -- 2006 is our year, our golden opportunity before we fall in the wake of other states," said Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D., Union), a champion of stem-cell research. "The question is what these proposals will look like."

Contact staff writer Kaitlin Gurney at 609-989-7373 or kgurney@phillynews.com.

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Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

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