It is uncertain when the bills passed by the state legislatures in Idaho and Arizona to combat forced organ harvesting in China will be signed into law by their respective governors, Brad Little and Katie Hobbs. The Idaho bill (HO670) and the Arizona bill (HB2504) are awaiting approval from the governors. Similar bills have already been passed in Texas and Utah. Idaho’s bill unanimously passed in both chambers on April 2 and 3, while Arizona’s bill was passed by the State House on April 2 and the Senate on April 4. If enacted, Idaho’s legislation would prohibit health insurers from covering organ transplants performed in China or other countries known for forced organ harvesting. Additionally, the bill would prevent insurers from reimbursing organ transplants in Idaho if the organs come from prohibited countries. The Arizona bill, officially called the Arizona End Organ Harvesting Act, would limit insurance coverage for organ transplants and genetic sequencing operations if they are carried out in China or by companies from foreign adversaries. Both bills aim to discourage residents from seeking transplants in China due to the unethical practices of forced organ harvesting. The Senate version of the legislation (S.761) has not advanced out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee since it was introduced in 2023.
Diana Molovinsky, a member of the Phoenix Falun Dafa Association, described the CCP’s forced organ harvesting as a “medical genocide” during the March committee event.
“Right now in Arizona, we have several renowned transplant training programs that collaborate and train students from all over the world,” Ms. Molovinsky said. “A bill like HB2504 would be a powerful tool to help our doctors and programs refrain from being complicit in training and collaborating with the Chinese transplant centers that are known for being part of this medical genocide.”
Xu Zhuoyun, a resident of Tucson, Arizona, shared at the committee event how he and his father, both Falun Gong practitioners, with his father, Xu Yongqing, currently imprisoned in China for his beliefs. Mr. Xu expressed concerns that his father could also fall victim to forced organ harvesting by the CCP.
“In November 2017, he was unjustly sentenced to two years in prison for simply mailing a few letters containing materials that shed light on the persecution,” Mr. Xu said. “During his imprisonment, he was subjected to physical examinations, including a blood test, but other inmates weren’t.”
Mr. Xu mentioned that the purpose of the physical examination on his father was for organ matching. Falun Gong practitioners do not smoke or drink, making them ideal candidates for forced organ harvesting.
“In late 2021, he was arrested again and sentenced to four years in prison. He’s still in prison today,” Mr. Xu said. “My family is very worried about his safety. So many Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death in China, including those whose organs were harvested while they were still alive. My father could become such a victim someday.”
He expressed his hope that HB2504 could be enacted into law.
“The more people who are aware of atrocities occurring in China, the more we can help prevent further tragedies and dissuade individuals, including Arizona patients, from seeking organ transplants in China.”
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