Update (4/1/2016): On March 24, SB 1474 passed the full Arizona House with bipartisan support along with two other major prolife bills. Arizona Governor Ducey signed them into law on March 31st.
On Wednesday, March 16, 2016, the Arizona House Judiciary Committee panel held a hearing to consider SB 1474, introduced by Sen. Nancy Barto (R-Phoenix) to prohibit fetal tissue trafficking. After the hearing, the panel voted to pass the bill, which will now head to the full House.
Center for Arizona Policy president Cathi Herrod stated that Arizona had a law that was previously thought to ban research using fetal tissue; however, the federal court of appeals for the Ninth Circuit struck it down due to vague language. This new bill “simply ensures that aborted babies are not harvested or sold in Arizona,” she said.
Charlotte Lozier Institute Vice President and Director of Research, Dr. David Prentice, Ph.D. submitted the following written testimony in support of the legislation.