X-Message-Number: 23488 From: "mike99" <> Subject: Ariz. Rep Stump replies to my msg about the cryonics bill (HB 2637) Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 17:50:12 -0700 RE: Keep Arizona free! Please do not snuff out cryonics!Cryonetters, Here is Rep. Stump's reply (followed by my original message) regarding the proposed Arizona legislation that could negatively impact Alcor. If you are thinking of writing, or even testifying, you should consider what he says here in order to address his points more effectively. Regards, Michael LaTorra "For any man to abdicate an interest in science is to walk with open eyes towards slavery." -- Jacob Bronowski Member: Extropy Institute: www.extropy.org World Transhumanist Association: www.transhumanism.org Alcor Life Extension Foundation: www.alcor.org Society for Technical Communication: www.stc.org -----Original Message----- From: Bob Stump [mailto:] Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2004 9:24 PM To: 'mike99'; Deb Gullett; Bob Stump; Philip J. Hanson; Bill Konopnicki; Colette Rosati; Bill Arnold; Mark Thompson; Warde Nichols Cc: Cheryl Chase; Phil Lopes; David T. Bradley; Linda Lopez; ''; Pete Wertheim; Elizabeth Baskett; ''; ''; ''; '' Subject: RE: Keep Arizona free! Please do not snuff out cryonics! Mr. LaTorra: Considering the alleged problems chronicled by the national media, not to mention media in Arizona and California, what leads you to believe that "Alcor already operates under the highest protocols for health and safety"? How can we know this for a fact, since there is no oversight whatsoever of cryonics facilities in Arizona? You write that "no one has identified any public health or public safety reason for this proposed legislation." To the contrary: The reasons are clear and well-known. Are you unaware of them? This bill will slowly wend its way through the legislative process. No one is acting in haste; I have been working on this bill for five months. Please note that in the Arizona Capitol Times (October 10, 2003), I said the following: "I look forward to spending time with representatives of Alcor." After months of news coverage in the Arizona Capitol Times, the Tribune, and the Republic, Alcor contacted me at the 11th hour. Alcor objected to having the Funeral Board provide oversight but offered no concrete alternatives at a stakeholder meeting on January 21, saying they hadn't had the time -- despite the fact that Alcor has known about work on this bill since last October. We have had stakeholder meetings for many weeks. It is now February 21, and Alcor has yet to offer any concrete, workable solutions about how to provide oversight -- even though its representatives simultaneously say Alcor is "not opposed to regulation." Moreover, perhaps you are unaware that I delayed introducing this bill so that members of Alcor and/or its representative, Barry Aarons, could meet with me on several occasions. You write that "this bill would have the likely effect of eliminating Alcor's ability to continue performing cryopreservation procedures and research in Arizona." You are incorrect. The bill was drafted in such a way that this would not occur, because that was never my intention and was, in fact, a concern of mine. The bill does not cast judgment, pro or con, on cryonics. Nor does it put anyone out of business. All the best, Representative Bob Stump Arizona House of Representatives District 9 1700 W. Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007 Phone: (602) 542-5413 http://www.azleg.state.az.us/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=85 -----Original Message----- From: mike99 [mailto:] Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2004 5:01 PM To: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Cc: ; ; ; Subject: Keep Arizona free! Please do not snuff out cryonics! Dear Legislators, I am a client of Alcor, a cryonics organization that promises nothing more than the opportunity to participate in a grand scientific experiment in radical life extension via cryonic preservation. Alcor is neither a scam nor a cult. Nor it is a funeral business. I urge you to reconsider your support for HB 2637 (embalmers; funeral establishments; storing remains) which inappropriately lumps cryonics into the same category as the funeral business. Alcor already operates under the highest protocols for health and safety. Burdening cryonics organizations such as Alcor with regulations that are truly only appropriate for a funeral business will do nothing to protect the people of Arizona. The real danger here it for the legislature to act in haste before considering all sides of this issue. Alcor was not invited to participate in the dialogue about this proposal until the very last minute and it had virtually no input into the development of this legislation. Given a normal amount of time to prepare to present its case, I am confident that Alcor can show you why HB 2637 would have many negative, and perhaps unintended, consequences. This bill is a solution without a problem. No one has identified any public health or public safety reason for this proposed legislation. This bill would have the likely effect of eliminating Alcor's ability to continue performing cryopreservation procedures and research in Arizona. This would be bad for the state, bad for the people such as myself who are relying on Alcor, and bad for the business climate in one of the freest, most desirable states in America for its it wonderful business climate. Please vote against the bill. Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you have a good day. Regards, Michael LaTorra "For any man to abdicate an interest in science is to walk with open eyes towards slavery." -- Jacob Bronowski Content-Type: text/html; [ AUTOMATICALLY SKIPPING HTML ENCODING! ] Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=23488