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Do you agree with shortening the sentences of prisoners who donate organs or bone marrow?
- Yes
- No
Reps. Judith Garcia (Suffolk) and Carlos González (Springfield) presented the bill as a way to bolster the number of organs and bone marrow available to those in need and "restore bodily autonomy" for people behind bars. Each inmate who gives could see between 60 days to a year cut from their sentence. The bill would create a committee to decide who is eligible for the program and how much each donation is worth.
The reaction to this news online has been heated. The biggest detractors have likened the move to "organ harvesting" and preying on the desperation of inmates looking to get out.
Some worried about the implications of such a move. Would it incentivize longer sentences to extract more from the prisoners?
While others attacked Reps. Garcia and Gonzalez for even presenting such a bill.
But the bill had its supporters. Not just in the Massachusetts State House but online as well. This could be a lifesaver for people waiting for an organ transplant.
For kidneys, the average wait time is between three to five years, according to the National Kidney Foundation, and many people die before a donor becomes available.
Increasing the number of organs available for donation could mean more lives saved.
There have been ideas considered in other states to increase the number of available organs, and some people saw the Massachusetts bill as an extension of those.
Ultimately, the decision will be left to those in power at the State House. While many people have inferred or assumed the reason behind the bill, Garcia laid out her case for why she believes it's a worthwhile cause.
Do you agree with the proposed legislation?
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