Stem Cell Institute's Legality Goes to Trial - California

[Beaverhausen]

Stem Cell Institute's Legality Goes to Trial

Foes challenge the lack of state control over money. Backers say the ballot measure modified the constitution to allow fiscal independence.
By Lee Romney, Times Staff Writer
February 27 2006


SAN FRANCISCO — The stem cell institute that California voters willed into existence with their approval of a $3-billion bond measure goes on trial today.

The lawsuit, to be heard by an Alameda County Superior Court judge, is relatively simple: Opponents contend the lack of direct state control over the institute's finances is unconstitutional.

The state attorney general's office and the institute's lawyer counter that the measure amended the state constitution to allow for such independence.

The dispute has frozen one of California's boldest experiments: to create an embryonic stem cell research industry that has been deemed off-limits for federal funding by the Bush administration.

More here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-stemsuit27feb27,0,281749.story?coll=la-home-local