Joint Conference Committee Report

We, the conferees, appointed by the respective bodies to consider and report upon the disagreeing vote on Senate Bill No. 1338, report as follows:

A.  We recommend that the House Amendments be rejected.

B.  We recommend that the engrossed bill be accepted with the following amendment to resolve the matters under disagreement.

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3. That no award from the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund may be provided if the otherwise qualified business performs research in Virginia on human cells or tissue derived from induced abortions or from stem cells obtained from human embryos, nor shall any award from the Fund be used for such research. The foregoing provision shall not apply to research conducted using stem cells other than embryonic stem cells.

4. That no investment shall be qualified pursuant to § 58.1-339.4 of the Code of Virginia if the otherwise qualified business performs research in Virginia on human cells or tissue derived from induced abortions or from stem cells obtained from human embryos. The foregoing provision shall not apply to research conducted using stem cells other than embryonic stem cells.

Respectfully submitted,

Senator Mark R. Herring

Senator Jill Holtzman Vogel

Senator A. Donald McEachin

Conferees on the part of the Senate

Delegate John M. O'Bannon, III

Delegate Samuel A. Nixon, Jr.

Delegate Mark D. Sickles

Conferees on the part of the House