Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) on Tuesday signed into law a measure (SB 4) that prohibits human cloning but allows several kinds of stem cell research, including human embryonic stem cell research, the Chicago Tribune reports (Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 8/29).

The law will require the Department of Public Health to further develop and administer the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute, which was established in July 2005 by an executive order issued by Blagojevich and has since distributed $15 million for stem cell research. The law also will establish an oversight committee of seven members appointed by Blagojevich to oversee the institute's grant decisions.

The law allows cloning to create cells for research purposes and includes ethics provisions that would aim to prohibit researchers with a financial conflict of interest from making decisions at the institute (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/5). According to the Tribune, the law will establish procedures for couples to donate unused embryos created for in vitro fertilization to research. Sponsors of the bill said they will seek funding sources for the research during the next several months.

Blagojevich in a statement said the research "has limitless potential to help cure devastating diseases," adding, "Since the federal government continues to stall the medical advancements that will come with stem cell research, it is up to Illinois to take action" (Chicago Tribune, 8/29). According to the AP/Northwest Herald, the measure had failed in previous years in the Legislature (AP/Northwest Herald, 8/28).