House approves bill to criminalize organ retention without permission
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Thursday advanced a bill making it a crime for medical examiners to retain a deceased person’s organs without permission.
The legislation was introduced after several families said inmates’ bodies came back from autopsies with their hearts or other internal organs missing. The House of Representatives vote 89-1 for the proposal. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate.
State law currently requires medical examiners to have permission to retain organs unless it is done for identification or determining a cause of death. The bill would make it a felony for a medical examiner to retain a deceased person’s organs without getting that permission from “the appropriate next of kin.”
The families of several men who died while incarcerated filed federal lawsuits alleging that their loved ones’ bodies were missing organs when they were returned after state autopsies.
“We’re just letting people know that we are paying attention, and the law needs to be followed,” Rep. Chris England, the bill’s sponsor, said.
England said the issue was not on his “bingo card” for the year, but it became necessary to introduce. The bill was approved with little debate.
Related articles
Spring/summer jean trends: Seven celeb
Denim is the backbone of a great wardrobe. This season, however, what's trending is far more adventu2024-04-26Chess Preview: China's world champion Ding seeking first Asian Games gold
(Xinhua) 14:34, September 22, 2023HANGZHOU, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chess returns to the Asian Games af2024-04-26World's first Zootopia land opens at Shanghai Disney Resort
This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2023 shows the opening ceremony of the Zootopia land in Shanghai Disney2024-04-26Feature: Turkish athletes recall fond memories of Chengdu FISU Games
(Xinhua) 13:31, August 15, 2023ISTANBUL, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish athletes who participated in th2024-04-26- Trust the undisputed queen of the red carpet, Zendaya, and her stylist, Law Roach, to serve sartoria2024-04-26
Germany's Scholz calls for fair competition and warns against dumping during China visit
BEIJING (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for fair competition in trade relations with Chi2024-04-26
atest comment