HCS SCS SB 136 -- ORGAN DONATION

SPONSOR:  Wiggins (Barry)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Children,
Families and Health by a vote of 15 to 0.

This substitute makes several changes to the Anatomical Gift
Act.  In its main provisions, the substitute:

(1)  Adds definitions for "anatomical donations," "federally
certified organ procurement organizations," and "organ donor
program fund";

(2)  Allows persons who are 15 years of age to make anatomical
gifts with parental or guardian consent;

(3)  Allows an attending physician or hospital designee to
contact an organ procurement organization in Missouri to
determine the suitability or non-suitability of an organ,
tissue, or eye donation of any patient who is near death or who
dies while an inpatient at a hospital and specifies the
procedures for the determination;

(4)  Allows a hospital to develop and implement a protocol for
referring potential anatomical donors;

(5)  Establishes procedures for conducting death medical record
reviews for the purpose of determining the anatomical donor
potential at a hospital;

(6)  Allows the Division of Motor Vehicle and Drivers Licensing
to modify the driver's license and identification card
application process and renewal system for the purposes of
obtaining information on anatomical donations from persons over
15 years of age and allowing persons under 18 years of age to
register as donors with parental consent;

(7)  Allows organ procurement organizations and tissue banks to
employ procurement coordinators and enucleators who can assist
physicians and surgeons in the recovery of cadaveric organs and
tissues for transplant or research;

(8)  Allows applicants for a driver's license to make voluntary
contributions of $2 to the Organ Donor Program Fund;

(9)  Specifies persons who can conduct reasonable administrative
and physical searches in order to verify the approval or
non-approval of an organ donation;

(10)  Specifies the use of the Organ Donor Program Fund;

(11)  Adds the following members to the Organ Donation Advisory
Committee:  one representative from the Department of Revenue;
one representative nominated by the Missouri Hospital
Association; and one representative nominated by an eye bank.
The substitute also specifies that 4 advisory committee
representatives are required to be nominated by the organ
procurement organizations in Missouri; and

(12)  Allows the Director of the Department of Revenue to
specify the rules and procedures for allowing an applicant to
designate an anatomical gift on the back of a non-driver's
license.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Effect on Highway Fund of $0 in FY
2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004.  Estimated Net Income to Organ Donor
Program Fund of $121,712 in FY 2002, $202,092 in FY 2003, and $0
in FY 2004.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the need for organ transplants
is increasing.  The State of Missouri, in cooperation with
hospitals and medical professionals, should promote organ
donation and awareness programs.  The bill will encourage
increased donor awareness activities by increasing the voluntary
donations made by Missourians with a driver's license.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Wiggins; Department of
Health; and Missouri Hospital Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:47 am