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Organ Snatching Bill (HB154) To See Mercifully Swift Death

Just a bill [1]

Josh Huffman takes exception with HB154 [2], a bill that would have turned organ donations from their current opt-in formula and turned them into an opt-out, meaning that everyone in Virginia would have been automatically registered for organ donations — had the bill passed.  The bill’s text can be found here [3].  Huffman qualifies his outrage:

Although organ donation is a fine option that helps improve or save the lives of a multitude of individuals, it should, like most parts of life, remain a choice.  To somehow presuppose that the Virginia government has first dibs on its citizens’ organs unless they specifically state otherwise is, quite frankly, terrifying.  Does Virginia somehow own its citizens’ bodies?  In this state are they merely on lease to the individual as long as he or she remains alive?

The bill’s patron?  Del. Dickie Bell, about as staunch (and as friendly) a conservative as one could imagine.  So when he saw the howls of protest online, Del. Bell did what every good gentleman would do — he pledged to withdraw the bill.  From a statement:

HB154 has created a great deal of controversy and that was never my intention. I apologize for any confusion surrounding the bill and I assure you that the bill will not be going forward. I will officially strike the bill when the legislative process allows me to do so. Until such time it may still appear to be active but it will not advance. I apologize for the confusion. I take full responsibility.

Now how’s that for responsiveness?  Good on Del. Bell for pledging to withdraw HB154, and good on Josh Huffman for keeping an eye out for bad legislation.

Any other bills out there that deserve your focus and attention?