Committee hears wide-ranging debate on bill to ban sale of human bodies and fetal tissue

The House Judiciary Committee heard competing testimony Monday on Senate Bill 154, a proposal to prohibit the sale or purchase of whole human bodies and fetal tissue in Montana while preserving the ability to donate organs and cadavers for medical use.

Senator Daniel Emmerich, sponsor of SB154, said the bill would expand the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act to close what supporters called a legal loophole allowing commercial transactions. "It prohibits the sale of fetal tissue, and then it also prohibits the sale of whole human bodies," Emmerich told the committee, while stressing that donation would remain permitted.

Multiple pro-life and faith-based groups urged passage, citing national reports and, in one case, invoice documents. Sharon Neeson told the committee she had copies of federal records and invoices showing payments to a California firm for fetal tissue, describing prices of $680 to $750 for fetal livers and thymus in records she offered to leave with lawmakers.

Opponents and stakeholders urged narrower language to avoid unintended effects on medical education and research. Quinn Leighton of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana said federal law already prohibits the sale of fetal tissue and described the bill as unnecessary. Representatives from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Montana University System expressed "soft opposition," calling for an explicit exception to ensure donated cadavers can continue to be prepared, transported and used in medical and surgical training.

Brian Warren of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization asked the committee for an amendment clarifying that "established cell lines" (cells cultured decades ago) are not covered as tissue for purposes of the ban. Warren said many commonly used laboratory cell lines originated from fetal tissue in the 1960s and have been maintained in labs for decades; he requested that the bill exempt those materials used for research and product development.

Sponsor Emmerich signaled openness to narrowly tailored amendments, saying the bill's intent is to ban commercial profit from selling remains while not preventing the legitimate use of longstanding cell lines or the transport and preparation of donated cadavers for education. "All it would do is require that the biopharmaceutical companies engage in a little bit of philanthropy when it comes to those cell lines," Emmerich said, and he acknowledged working with stakeholders on technical language.

The committee closed the hearing on SB154 without taking immediate action; members indicated staff would draft or accept amendments to address concerns about cadaver logistics and laboratory cell-line language before any vote.

House Judiciary will receive the written materials left with the committee and may consider technical amendments before executive action.