Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION: What is the purpose of this bill?

ANSWER: S.B. 2025 establishes a moratorium on cloning and genetic modification in non-human mammals with natural gestation periods greater than 250 days. The bill aims to protect animal welfare by prohibiting high-risk cloning and gene editing practices that have demonstrated high failure rates, developmental abnormalities, and health complications.

QUESTION: What is somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)?

ANSWER: Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, or SCNT, is a way scientists make a genetic copy of an animal. They take a regular body cell from the animal they want to clone and remove the nucleus, which holds the animal's DNA. Then, they put that nucleus into an egg cell that had its own nucleus taken out. This egg cell is tricked into thinking it's been fertilized, so it starts to grow and divide like a fertilized egg would. Eventually, it becomes an embryo that has the same DNA as the original animal. This embryo must be implanted into a surrogate mother, who will carry it to term and give birth to the cloned animal. The animal born from this process is a genetic copy of the donor of the original body cell.

QUESTION: What is gene editing? What is CRISPR?

ANSWER: Gene editing is a way scientists make precise changes to the DNA of living organisms. One of the most common tools for gene editing is called CRISPR. CRISPR works like tiny molecular scissors guided by a piece of RNA that finds a specific spot in the DNA. Once there, an enzyme, often called Cas9, cuts the DNA at that spot. The cell then naturally repairs the cut, and during this repair, scientists can add, remove, or change genetic material to achieve the desired gene edit. This method is fast, accurate, and can be used to fix genes that cause diseases, improve crops, or create animals with specific traits.

QUESTION: What animals are covered under this bill?

ANSWER: The bill covers any non-human mammal with a natural gestation period over 250 days, including but not limited to camels, cattle, elephants, giraffes, horses, whales, and zebras.

QUESTION: What cloning and genetic modification methods are prohibited?

ANSWER: The bill prohibits initiating or carrying to term pregnancies in covered animals using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos or gene-edited embryos (e.g., embryos modified through CRISPR, TALENs, or zinc-finger nucleases). It also forbids transporting pregnant covered animals obtained by these methods into Texas and prohibits genetic modifications intended to reduce natural gestation periods below 250 days.

QUESTION: Does the bill prohibit all breeding of covered animals?

ANSWER: No. The bill prohibits breeding animals born from pregnancies created or altered by prohibited cloning or gene-editing methods, but natural breeding and other non-prohibited reproductive methods remain allowed.

QUESTION: What are the penalties for violating this bill?

ANSWER: Violations constitute Class A misdemeanors, with each prohibited act considered a separate offense. The Texas Animal Health Commission may also suspend or revoke relevant licenses and investigate violations, referring criminal offenses to law enforcement.

QUESTION: Are there any exceptions to these prohibitions?

ANSWER: Yes. The prohibitions do not apply to naturally occurring pregnancies; laboratory research that creates and maintains SCNT or gene-edited embryos entirely in vitro without implantation; stem cell research unrelated to embryo implantation; and assisted reproductive technologies like IVF that do not involve SCNT or gene editing.

QUESTION: Can veterinarians treat animals pregnant due to prohibited cloning or editing?

ANSWER: Yes. Licensed veterinarians may provide necessary care or manage such pregnancies if they did not facilitate the prohibited initiation and the treatment is to protect the animal’s life or prevent undue suffering. However, veterinarians are not authorized to implant prohibited embryos.

QUESTION: How long will this moratorium last?

ANSWER: The moratorium expires on September 1, 2031. Before that, in 2030, the Texas Animal Health Commission must report to the legislature evaluating the law’s impact and recommend whether to extend, modify, or end the moratorium.

QUESTION: How does this law interact with local regulations?

ANSWER: The law does not preempt local regulations that are equal to or more stringent or that address issues not covered by this subchapter.

QUESTION: When does this law take effect?

ANSWER: The law takes effect 91 days after the last day of the legislative session in which it was passed, applying only to offenses committed after that date.

QUESTION: Why does the bill focus on animals with gestation periods longer than 250 days?

ANSWER: This threshold was chosen because it closely parallels human gestation (about 280 days). Long-gestation mammals generally experience more complex pregnancies, which cloning techniques currently cannot safely mimic, resulting in high failure rates and animal suffering. The bill extends a compassionate standard used for humans to these animals to prevent similar inhumane outcomes.

QUESTION: Is the 250-day limit directly linked to concerns about human cloning?

ANSWER: Yes. While the bill doesn’t ban human cloning outright, it draws a clear ethical line aligned with human gestation length, recognizing the greater welfare risks and complex biology involved in cloning long-gestation mammals akin to humans.

QUESTION: Why is cloning long-gestation mammals considered more inhumane or risky than cloning short-gestation species?

ANSWER: Longer gestation involves intricate developmental processes and greater risk of complications like fetal loss, deformities, placental abnormalities, and birthing difficulties, amplifying suffering for both the mother and offspring during cloning attempts.

QUESTION: How do ethical concerns about cloning long-gestation animals relate to human cloning debates?

ANSWER: Ethical concerns overlap regarding identity, autonomy, and the potential commodification of life. Cloning long-gestation mammals raises similar welfare and moral issues that anticipate the even more profound ethical challenges posed by human cloning.

QUESTION: Why prohibit genetic modifications aimed specifically at reducing natural gestation periods?

ANSWER: Such modifications risk unpredicted biological consequences and animal welfare harms. Manipulating gestation length to bypass natural developmental timing could cause severe health problems, disrupting critical growth phases.

QUESTION: Could the moratorium slow scientific progress, and why is that justified?

ANSWER: While it may temporarily limit some research, the ethical imperative to prevent harm and suffering outweighs the benefits of faster or riskier cloning attempts. Responsible science prioritizes animal welfare and societal values over unchecked technological advancement.

QUESTION: How does the bill balance scientific research with animal welfare?

ANSWER: The bill allows in vitro research on cloned or gene-edited embryos without implantation, enabling scientific study while preventing harmful pregnancies. It still supports advances that do not expose animals to cloning risks.

QUESTION: Why allow lab research embryos but not implantation?

ANSWER: Research on embryos in vitro helps improve understanding and methods without subjecting living animals to cloning’s high failure and suffering rates, reflecting a precautionary approach balancing research and welfare.

QUESTION: What are potential consequences of cloning or genetically modifying large mammals?

ANSWER: Consequences include high embryo loss, fetal abnormalities, health complications requiring invasive interventions like C-sections, surrogate maternal harm, shortened lifespans, and ethical dilemmas about creating animals prone to suffering.

QUESTION: How does this bill reflect societal values?

ANSWER: The bill embodies respect for animal life and ethical restraint in biotechnology, acknowledging limitations in cloning techniques and prioritizing preventing suffering and upholding humane treatment in line with growing public concern.

QUESTION: Why was [X Animal] not included on the chart?

ANSWER: The chart primarily focuses on animals cloned using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), which is the main method used for cloning mammals. Some animals may not be included because their cloning did not use SCNT or there isn’t enough detailed public data available. The chart highlights well-documented SCNT cloning cases to provide a clear picture of cloning development and challenges over time. It’s not a complete list of all clones, but a representative snapshot focused on this specific cloning method.

QUESTION: Why was my question still not answered?

ANSWER: Email james@scienceoverspectacle.com and I will be happy to answer your question.