New Bill Protects Bodily Autonomy After Families Report Missing Organs
In a near-unanimous vote, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill that would make it a crime for medical examiners to retain a deceased person’s organs without permission from their next of kin. This legislation comes in response to disturbing reports from families who claim organs were missing from the bodies of their loved ones after autopsies performed by state medical examiners.
Families Sue After Organs Vanish
The impetus for the bill appears to be lawsuits filed by families of several incarcerated individuals who died in state custody. These families allege that upon receiving their loved ones’ bodies after autopsies, they discovered organs were missing. With no explanation or prior consent, this caused significant emotional distress on top of their grief.
Current Law Leaves Loopholes
Alabama’s existing law allows medical examiners to retain organs for identification or determining cause of death without obtaining permission from family members. However, the new bill would significantly strengthen these protections for the deceased.
Strong Bipartisan Support for the Bill
The bill passed the House with an overwhelming vote of 89-1, demonstrating strong bipartisan support for the legislation. Representative Chris England, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized the importance of respecting bodily autonomy even after death, and ensuring families have a say in what happens to their loved ones’ remains.
