No surprise. Ignorant lawmakers have been around a long time.
A few cases stand out, one being the Scopes trial in 1925; the state Legislature had passed a bill prohibiting the teaching of evolution in state schools.
Recently we have seen the barring of research money for stem cell research, although this is one of the most important medical breakthroughs ever.

Gene transfer studies are being attacked, and probably will be the next advance brought into legislatures and courts.