Sacramento, Calif., Feb 22, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Two taxpayer groups filed a petition yesterday in the California Supreme Court, requesting that organizations set up to organize and fund stem-cell research be halted.
The petition was filed by the Sacramento-based People’s Advocate and the National Tax Limitation Foundation. The Life Legal Defense Foundation represents the petitioners.
The petition requests a peremptory writ of mandate issue, halting efforts by the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC), which was established by the California Stem Cell Research and Cures/Bond Act after the November 2004 election.
The petition asks that various state agencies, authorized under the Act to disburse funds from the State Treasury to the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Fund, be prohibited from doing so since the fund is not under the exclusive management and control of the state, as required by Article XVI, section 3 of the California Constitution.