Does the Missouri Constitution now require any state or taxpayer funding for stem cell research?
No, this is a false claim made by opponents of stem cell research. The Stem Cell Amendment in the Missouri Constitution does not ask for any funding and does not require the state, local governments or Missouri taxpayers to fund any stem cell research. It simply prohibits Missouri politicians from arbitrarily cutting off some other funds (unrelated to stem cell research) that an institution normally receives, simply because the institution is involved in lawful stem cell research. For example, it prohibits the legislature from cutting the Medicaid funding a hospital receives simply because it is associated with a medical school that conducts legal stem cell research with private funds.
