I told you it was coming and now it’s finally underway! The petition to prohibit human cloning in the state of Missouri has officially been launched today. Dr. Lori Buffa, of St. Peters, Missouri, who serves as chair of the coalition Cures Without Cloning, filed proposed ballot language with the Secretary of State’s office this morning. The coalition seeks to ban human cloning in Missouri and focus on research that leads to lifesaving cures and treatments:

THE MISSOURI CURES WITHOUT CLONING INITIATIVE

NOTICE: You are advised that the proposed constitutional amendment may change, repeal, or modify by implication, or may be construed by some persons to change, repeal or modify by implication, Article III, Sections 36 and 38(d), Article IV, Sections 23 and 28, and Article X, Sections 1, 2, and 3, of the Missouri Constitution.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF MISSOURI

Be it resolved by the people of the state of Missouri that the Constitution be amended :

One new section is adopted by adding one new section to be known as Section 38(e) of Article III, to read as follows:

Section 38(e) 1. It shall be unlawful to clone or attempt to clone a
human being. Researchers may conduct stem cell research to discover cures
for disease and develop stem cell therapies and cures, provided that the
research complies with the limitations of this section and, in addition,
the limitations of Section 38(d).
2. For all purposes within this constitution:

(1) “Clone or attempt to clone a human being” includes the
creation of or the attempt to create, by means other
than fertilization of a human egg with human sperm, a
new human organism that is virtually identical
genetically to an existing or previously existing human
organism or human organisms.
(2) “Human organism” means human life in any stage. Human
life begins with an initial stage, when a single human
egg cell receives a complete set of forty-six
chromosomes, and continues through any subsequent stages
of embryonic, fetal, postnatal, and later development.

3. No taxpayer dollars shall be expended: (1) to clone or
attempt to clone a human being; or (2) to research or
experiment using a human organism, or any part of a
human organism, derived from cloning or attempting to
clone a human being.

If you would like to contribute to this effort please contact Missouri Right to Life. I am so excited to start working on this campaign!!