MCC PRIORITIES & CONCERNS 2003-04
www.macathconf.org
updated December 10, 2004
- H. 2048 (Prohibition of Human Cloning-Rep. Fallon).
MCC Supports. Bans all
forms of human cloning. Health Care Comm. Hearing May 1, 2003. Transferred to Senate
Science & Technology Comm.
H. 1280/S. 515 (An Act Relative to Stem Cell Research-Rep. Atkins et al.; Sen. Creem et
al.). MCC Opposes. Authorizes destructive research on human embryos
and requires cloned embryonic human beings to be used for destructive experiments or
otherwise killed. Health Care Comm. Hearing May 1, 2003. Transferred to Senate
Science & Technology Comm.
- S. 1917 (Sen. Magnani et al.). MCC Opposes. Requires
destruction of human embryos created by nuclear transplantation by forbidding
implantation. Sen. Science & Technology. Hearing May 1, 2003 (jointly held with Health Care
Comm.).
S. 2124 (Senate, Act to Promote Job Creation etc [Economic Stimulus bill]). MCC
Opposes. Includes text of S. 515 authorizing cloning and destruction of human
embryos. Approved in Senate (39-0), Nov. 3, 2003; Rejected in House and removed from
bill, Nov. 19, 2003.
S. 2400, outside sections 156-58 (Senate FY 2005 Budget). MCC Opposes.
Includes text of S. 515 authorizing cloning and destruction of human embryos.
Approved in Senate but House did not agree to its conclusion; language left out of
final budget sent to the Governor, June 14, 2004.
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- Assisted Suicide Prohibition.
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- H. 3195 (Rep. Travis et al.). MCC
Supports. Codifies common law prohibition
against assisting suicide. Judiciary Comm. Hearing Oct. 23, 2003. Transferred to Study
Committee.
- Same Sex Marriage.
H. 3677 (Rep. Rushing et al.). MCC
Opposes. Changes definition of marriage
to include same-sex couples. Judiciary Comm. Hearing held Oct. 23, 2003. Transferred to
Study Committee.
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- Civil Unions. H. 1149/S. 935/S. 1045 (Rep. Wolf et al.; Sen.
Barrios et al.; Sen. Havern). MCC Opposes. Creates legal category of “civil union”
that gives same sex couples all the rights and privileges of spouses, equal to marriage
except the name. Judiciary Comm. Hearing held Oct. 23, 2003. Transferred
to Study Committee.
- Emergency Contraceptive Mandate. H. 2438/S. 546 (Rep. Petersen et al.; Sen.
Melconian et al.) MCC Opposes. Requires
all health facilities treating rape victims to provide contraceptives, even in cases where
the effect of contraceptives may be abortifacient. While
Catholic health facilities may provide contraceptives to prevent conception as a
consequence of rape, the bill’s blanket mandate interferes with the religious and
moral obligations of Catholic health facilities to not participate in abortion. Health Care Committee. Hearing June 11 (H. 2438). Reported
favorably to Senate, March 11, 2004; Senate approved June 16, 2004 by voice vote; referred
to House Ways & Means. Transferred to Study Committee. MCC
Fact Sheet; Catholics, Emergency
Contraception & Rape; MCC
Testimony June 11
- Reinstatement
of the Death Penalty. H. 319; H.
3295; S. 193; S. 194 (various proposals to reinstate the death penalty in Massachusetts). MCC Opposes.
Criminal Justice. Hearing
held March
27, 2003. See account
of hearing. Note: Governor Romney will introduce legislation to
reinstitute the death penalty, after legislation is crafted by a special commission. MCC Fact
Sheet on Death Penalty in MA; Archbishop O'Malley's
Statement on commission report, May 1, 2004.
Miscellaneous
Gambling.
H.542; H. 2958; H. 2792; H. 3153; H. 3512 (various proposals to authorize casino gambling
and other games of chance). MCC Opposes. Government Relations.
Hearing held March 31, 2003. See MCC Testimony.
Committee reported H. 2792 and H. 3153, authorizing slot machines,
unfavorably. House accepts adverse report, defeating H. 2792 & H. 3153, April
15, 2003. See first
and second roll calls.
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