Senator in wheelchair opposes cloning ban so others keep hope

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Confined to a wheelchair for more nearly 25 years because of a car accident as a teen, state Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, long ago gave up hope of ever walking again.

The promise that stem cell research might one day provide doctors a means of mending debilitating injuries or curing neurological disorders, however, is great cause for hope to many others in similar situations, Graham said in an emotional speech last week to fellow members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The panel was preparing to vote on a bill that would ban therapeutic cloning, a technique used to grow stem cells.

"It is not a fun situation where you give up hope," Graham said. "I give up hope because I want to live the life I know I can. My vote is for the hope of others."

The committee endorsed the bill 7-2, with Graham and state Sen. Charles Wheeler, a Kansas City Democrat and doctor, voting against it. The measure now heads to the full Senate.

Some lawmakers object to therapeutic cloning on moral grounds. State Sen. John Louden, R-Ballwin, said that while the research may be pursued with the intent of finding legitimate medical uses, the science might eventually be perverted.

"It is naive to think the scientists of today are not making the road map to human cloning," Louden said.

Both Southeast Missouri senators on the judiciary committee -- Jason Crowell of Cape Girardeau and Rob Mayer of Dexter -- voted in favor of the ban.

Early voting plan

In her first major policy initiative since taking office last month, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has proposed to allow voters to cast their ballots up to six weeks prior to Election Day in the future.

Under her proposal, which she will present to the legislature, voters in most counties could cast ballots at their county clerk's office during the advance voting periods. Larger counties would also offer satellite polling places, one for each 60,000 residents, during the two weeks before an election.

"Thirty other states have some form of advance voting," Carnahan said. "Missouri voters deserve no less."

The legislature has balked at authorizing early voting in recent years out of concerns it would increase costs for state and local elections officials. Carnahan said her plan would cost about $1.5 million.

Her proposal differs slightly from what Gov. Matt Blunt's plan to authorize "no-excuse" absentee voting. At present, voters are supposed to state a reason for why they can't vote on Election Day in order to receive an absentee ballot, although the requirement isn't strictly enforced.

Under Carnahan's plan, voters would cast their ballots just like they normally would without any of the additional processing that accompanies absentee voting. By making the system more efficient, she said her plan would cost about $500,000 less than what Blunt proposes.

Higher ed appointment

Kathryn Swan of Cape Girardeau will get a full six-year term on the Coordinating Board for Higher Education after the Senate confirmed her reappointment on Thursday.

Orginally appointed to a partial term by Democratic former Gov. Bob Holden, Blunt renominated her last month. Swan holds one of the Republican seats on the panel, which oversees the Department of Higher Education.

mpowers@semissourian.com

(573) 635-4608