OKLAHOMA -- An Oklahoma House subcommittee recently approved a bill that would provide state funding for an umbilical cord blood bank. Doctors say the cord blood provides a source of stem cells without causing harm to an unborn child.

Oklahoma State Representative John Enns nearly lost his life after the Tracker he was driving rolled over, breaking his back in 3 places and leaving him paralyzed.

"Before my accident which was in 2004, I was a microbiology professor I taught about these stemcells and I taught the difference between embryonic and adult stem cells, which is huge," Enns said. "My accident happened and then I got even more involved in because this is something that may help a paralyzed person in the future with spinal cord injuries help them to actually get up and walk."

Enns now spends most his time in a wheelchair but continues to research the benefits of umbilical cord blood. He recently authored a bill that would fund a public umbilical cord blood bank for the state.

"What we will do with that is because it is pretty expensive to get it started, we will increase the amount that you pay when you get a birth certificate by $5. This will have a 5 year sunset on it which means in 5 years it will go away," Enns said.

"After the baby is delivered and the placenta is about to be thrown a way the cells can save the life of someone who has luekemia or a genetic problem where replacing their existing bone marrow is important to their cure."

OBI's president, Dr. John Armitage, says the benefits of having an umbilical cord blood bank greatly outweighs its cost..

"There is this future benefit that cant be underestimated," Armitage said. "These cells are going to eventually be used by biotechnology firms to do amazing things in terms of new tissue generation and repairing anything from hearts to any tissue in the body."

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Oklahoma bill proposes umbilical cord blood bank