2017 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 23 - Health and Safety
Chapter 23-16.4 - Human Cloning
Section 23-16.4-2 - Cloning of human beings prohibited.

§ 23-16.4-2. Cloning of human beings prohibited.

(a) Prohibition. No person or entity shall utilize somatic cell nuclear transfer for the purpose of initiating or attempting to initiate a human pregnancy nor shall any person create genetically identical human beings by dividing a blastocyst, zygote, or embryo.

(b) Definitions.

(1) "Nucleus" means the cell structure that houses the chromosomes, and thus the genes;

(2) "Oocyte" means the female germ cell, the egg;

(3) "Somatic cell" means any cell of a conceptus, embryo, fetus, child, or adult not biologically determined to become a germ cell; and

(4) "Somatic cell nuclear transfer" means transferring the nucleus of a human somatic cell into an oocyte from which the nucleus has been removed.

(c) Protected research and practices.

(1) Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict areas of biomedical, microbiological, and agricultural research or practices not expressly prohibited in this section, including research or practices that involve the use of:

(i) Somatic cell nuclear transfer or other cloning technologies to clone molecules, DNA, cells, and tissues;

(ii) Mitochondrial, cytoplasmic, or gene therapy; or

(iii) Somatic cell nuclear transfer techniques to create animals.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit:

(i) In vitro fertilization, the administration of fertility-enhancing drugs, or other medical procedures used to assist a woman in becoming or remaining pregnant, so long as that pregnancy is not specifically intended to result in the production of a child who is genetically identical to another human being, living or dead;

(ii) Any activity or procedure that results, directly or indirectly in two (2) or more natural identical twins.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1998, ch. 189, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 319, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 387, § 1.)