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SD 839

An Act providing that no state funds will be allocated to any agency, school, university, etc. that does research on animals

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jo Comerford

Massachusetts bill bans state funding to institutions conducting animal research, potentially eliminating medical research capabilities at major universities and affecting drug development.

House concurred
0
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Bill Summary · SD 839

Legislative bill overview

SD 839 would prohibit Massachusetts state funding to any public agency, school, university, or institution that conducts animal research. This is a blanket funding restriction that would apply across all state-supported entities regardless of the research type, purpose, or oversight mechanisms currently in place.

Why is this important

Animal research funding restrictions would significantly impact Massachusetts institutions, including Harvard, MIT, and UMass, which conduct federally-regulated medical, pharmaceutical, and biological research. This could affect the state's biomedical competitiveness, research employment, and the development of treatments for human diseases, while potentially shifting research activities to other states or reducing overall scientific output.

Potential points of contention

  • Medical research impact: Restrictions would likely halt drug development, toxicology testing, and disease research that currently relies on animal models under federal oversight (USDA, NIH guidelines)
  • Economic and employment consequences: Loss of federal research grants, researcher positions, and institutional prestige at major universities that depend on this funding pipeline
  • Scope and definition ambiguity: The bill's blanket language may catch unintended research (vaccine development, surgical training) and lacks carve-outs for alternatives unavailable through non-animal methods
  • Federalism concerns: Potential conflict with federal research regulations and funding conditions that require animal research for certain studies

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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