SENATE MEMORIAL 139

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

William E. Sharer

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO CONCERNING THE USE OF ABORTED FETAL BODY PARTS AND, IF THE UNIVERSITY DOES NOT COMPLY, REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY BROUGHT BY THE CONGRESSIONAL SELECT INVESTIGATIVE PANEL AND TO INVESTIGATE THE RECALCITRANCE OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER AND THE BOARD TO COMPLY WITH NUMEROUS CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION.

     WHEREAS, information from the university of New Mexico health sciences center and the board of regents of the university of New Mexico was sought by the house select panel, the congressional select investigative panel and several New Mexico legislators involving the health sciences center's use of aborted fetal body parts for medical research and transplantation; and

     WHEREAS, none of the parties requesting information have been satisfied with the results, and there appear to be discrepancies in information provided to congress at different times; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico legislators are simply trying to get at the truth of the university of New Mexico health sciences center's activities regarding:

          A. information provided to the house select panel before and in response to the select panel's subpoenas;

          B. the health sciences center's relationships with other abortion providers;

          C. the expansion of the university's practice of medical and surgical abortions at its hospital and clinics within the last fifteen years;

          D. the types of research or education that use aborted fetal body parts that have been or are being carried out by the health sciences center or within the university of New Mexico and any other uses to which aborted fetal body parts have been put by the health sciences center or the university of New Mexico over the last twenty years, including transplantation; and

          E. the select investigative panel's allegations concerning the health sciences center's disregard for federal and state informed-consent provisions by the health sciences center's staff and its providers of aborted fetal body parts and the allegations that the university of New Mexico may have provided valuable consideration for the acquisition of aborted fetal body parts; and

     WHEREAS, certainly, New Mexico legislators should be able to have questions answered by a state institution that is within the legislature's policy sphere; and

     WHEREAS, state taxpayers have a right to the information being sought, albeit within the confidentiality limits of the Inspection of Public Records Act;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative finance committee be requested to hold a public hearing on these and any other issues the committee believes to be relevant to medical research at the university of New Mexico using aborted fetal body parts; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if the health sciences center and the board of regents of the university of New Mexico refuse or fail to provide the full disclosure sought by the committee, the governor be requested to initiate an investigation into the decisions of the health sciences center and board of regents related to the legislative request on this matter, as well as the truth of the center's activities and the board's reluctance to discuss this matter; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor be requested to provide a copy of the investigation report to the legislature before January 16, 2018; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chair and director of the legislative finance committee and the governor.

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