House DFL Leadership railroads
Baby
DNA bill to passage
Amended House Bill (HF1341) will enable the Health Department and the
Mayo Clinic to KEEP their Baby DNA Warehouses
Rights
Quashed
On March 17, 2009, members of the Minnesota House pushed
the Baby DNA bill (HF 1341) through the House health policy committee
at break neck speed, focusing on testing rather than storage and use of
baby DNA, preventing testimony from being heard, and ruling against
attempts to add parent consent requirements.
Footage
of the hearing starting at 1:04:21 and ending at 1:42:00
Most at fault:
Rep. Tina Liebling (D-Rochester) - representing Mayo Clinic
(see
letter)
Rep. Kim Norton (D-Rochester) - representing Mayo Clinic
Rep. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) - Republican Lead
Here's what happened:
- CCHC's "Baby DNA" signs (8.5x11in.) were shut down. (1:05:37) Against
First Amendment
rights, Rep. Liebling, acting as Committee Chair for hearing on
Chairman Thissen's bill, announced publicly that it was against
House
rules for CCHC supporters to have signs in the committee room.
- Only about 12 out of 70 letters sent by the public to the
Committee were published as written testimony. The rest were omitted.
- Of the five people who asked to testify against the bill, only Twila
Brase, CCHC's president (wearing a "PROTECT BABY DNA"
sticker) was allowed to testify. Everyone
else was shut out. (1:30:20)
- Rep. Liebling interrupted Ms. Brase while she was
testifying to let Rep. Norton challenge Brase's assertion that
the health department did
not have the right to
collect, store and use baby blood when they began in 1997. (1:33:48)
Brase explained Norton's error to everyone in the audience and everyone
watching the
television coverage. Norton had earlier argued (1:21:25)
for Mayo retaining the blood for Mayo research, pointing our the Mayo
Clinic letter to the committee and saying they aren't an "evil
entity." Rep. Leibling interrupted Ms. Brase again toward the
end of her testimony to say "wrap up, Ms. Brase."
- Rep. Abeler, co-author of HF 1341, offered an amendment to
KEEP the nearly 12-yr
old baby DNA warehouse in operation for two more years, until 2011 (1:12:56).
However, his
likely intent is to promise to discard the DNA in 2011,
but to keep the warehouse intact long after. Here's how: in
2011, potentially under a new administration, the health department can
simply bring a bill to
extend the expiration date into the future or to repeal the discard
requirement altogether.
Rep.
Abeler's expiration dates on controversial proposals have become
permanent in the past. See
HF 1554 (this year's attempt to repeal Rep. Abeler's 2005 expiration
date regarding
citizen due process rights)
- When Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano) tried to add a parent
consent amendment, (1:38:10) Liebling ruled
that it was not allowed. When
Liebling's ruling was challenged, Rep. Abeler refused to support his
Republican colleague Rep. Emmer in the roll call vote
on Liebling's ruling. Instead of voting in support of Emmer, Republican
Lead Abeler chose not to vote. On a vote of 13-6, Liebling's
rule held and no parent consent amendment was allowed to be offered.
- After raised voices, the committee passed
the bill with Abeler's "keep the DNA warehouse
for two more years"
amendment included.
- Also, Rep. Thissen, author of the bill, discussed
the pending parent lawsuit
against MDH. When asked why he's not waiting for the conclusion of the
lawsuit, he said, "we want to get this law clarified." He added, "It'll
save litigation costs if we pass this bill because that'll take one
part of that lawsuit and maybe most of that lawsuit away." (1:15:00).
These disturbing events can be viewed
online,
starting at 1:04:21.
Contact
Info
Last year Governor Pawlenty vetoed a similar bill. However, the
Minnesota Department of Health believes it had the Governor's
approval for this bill. This year's bill failed in the Senate, but is
expected to return. This is your opportunity to state your opinion
to the Governor and to your legislators...who are have to vote on the
bill.
Governor Tim Pawlenty:
tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us;
651-296-3391;
1-800-657-3717
State Representative:
rep.firstname.lastname@house.mn
State Senator:
sen.firstname.lastname@senate.mn
House Information: 651-296-2146
Senate Information: 651-296-0504
