STATE POLITICS & POLICY | Maryland House Approves FY 2009 Budget That Reduces Stem Cell Research Funding
[March 21, 2008]

The Maryland House of Delegates on Wednesday voted 105-34 to approve a fiscal year 2009 budget that reduces funding for the state's stem cell research program to $15 million, the Washington Post reports. According to the Post, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) allocated $23 million for the program in his budget proposal. The Senate last week approved its FY 2009 budget that reduces funding for the program to $5 million, the Post reports (Wagner, Washington Post, 3/21).

During debate over the budget, the House rejected two amendments proposed by House Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell (R) and Del. Tony McConkey (R) that would have eliminated even more funding for the stem cell research program. McConkey argued that the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, which administers the grants, has been slow in distributing two previous rounds of funding provided by the Legislature (Wagner, Washington Post, 3/20). "I think this is a reasonable amendment given our fiscal situation," McConkey said.

Del. John Bohanan (D) said eliminating all the funding could wipe out the stem cell program. "One year of hiatus causes enough disruption to this program that we may as well opt out of it and not fund it ever again," Bohanan said (Witte, AP/Washington Times, 3/20). It is important that the state maintain its commitment to stem cell research given federal funding restrictions, Bohanan said. He added, "This is an important program that we've just begun" (Washington Post, 3/20).





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