Wanting to prevent another biolab operating nearly undetected, Congressmember Jim Costa is proposing legislation that would “address gaps” in federal law when it comes to reporting and notificaiton.

In December 2022, a Reedley code enforcement agent serendipitously discovered an undercover biolab, allegedly connected to the Chinese government. In the following months, federal, state, and local agencies raided the lab.

Questions mounted of how a lab could operate in plain sight, where 1,000  lab mice, and vials containing infectious diseases were found. The inquiries reached the House Select Commitee on the Chinese Communist Party.

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Costa, D-Fresno, now has a plan, proposing the Preventing Illegal Laboratories and Protecting Public Health Act of 2024. The bill, HR 8065, will be heard in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce at a yet-to-be-determined date.

“It became clear that changes were needed on the federal level to ensure public safety. This legislation is the first step to closing the gap in the regulation of labs and will prevent bad actors from taking advantage of the public health system. It creates tracking, better review of anyone working with infectious diseases and deeper cooperation between local, state, and federal agencies,” Costa said.

A Costa news release said the legislation would:

• Require sellers of highly infectious agents to keep a logbook of all sales and maintain those records for at least five years, including identification of the purchaser(s).

• Require regular evaluations of high-containment laboratories in the U.S. after designating a single federal official to lead the overview.

• Requires a “Public Health and Biosecurity Team” to be a single point of contact for state and local agencies regarding laboratory biosafety and biosecurity questions.

• Requires a feasibility study on establishing a database of biolabs that is accessible to state and local officials.

Supect Returns to Court Wednesday

Federal investigators arrested Jia Bei Zhu, also referred to in legal documents as David He, charging him with three counts — two counts of distribution of adulterated and misbranded medical devices; and one count of making a false statement.

Zhu, a Chinese national who also resided in Clovis and Las Vegas, operated Universal Meditech Inc, and Prestige Biotech Inc. Forced out of Fresno because of a fire, the labs resurfaced in nearby Reedley.

The federal government said the companies never gained approvals for making COVID test kits, but produced and sold them anyway.

The congressgional committee examining the lab reported that Zhu is a wanted fugitive from Canada who has an outstanding $330 million judgment against him for stealing intellectual property. Zhu’s attorney, Tony Capozzi, disputed those claims.

Zhu remains in custody. A bail review hearing is set for Wednesday in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Erica Grosjean.