Senate Passes Legislation To Prohibit Sale Of Body Parts

GOLDEN LEADS STATE SENATE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF
BODY PARTS

URGES STATE ASSEMBLY TO APPROVE MEASURE TO CHANGE LAW

Albany- Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C, Brooklyn), is announcing that
New York State Senate today passed legislation he sponsored, S.209, that
prohibits the sale or purchase of body parts in New York State punishable
by a Class E felony.

Senator Golden stated, “Amid scandals involving the illegal buying,
selling and distribution of human tissue by funeral homes and licensed
biomedical companies, deficiencies in the current law have become
increasingly apparent. New York’s families have been forced to suffer even
greater hardship at the most difficult of times because of this
unconscionable practice. Removing tissue, skin, organs and bones from
bodies before embalming without the permission of the deceased’s family,
and then selling the tissue illegally, must not continue to go on here in
New York.”

Senator Golden continued, “The recent verdict in Brooklyn Supreme
Court, by Judge Tomei, sends a message that this will no longer be
tolerated in New York State. This legislation will reduce the possibility
of such an atrocity from ever happening again and I urge the State Assembly
to follow the State Senate’s lead and make the passage of this legislation
a priority. Knowing that we must protect against such crimes from
happening, New York State now has the responsibility to do something about
this and insure the integrity and decency of the deceased and the families
who survive them.”

The bill was sent to the Assembly.