Brief Description: Creating a voluntary organ and tissue donor registry.

Sponsors: Representatives Sullivan, Pflug, Schual-Berke, Crouse, Cody, Santos, Morrell, Wood, Anderson and Kenney.

Hearing Date: 2/11/03

Staff: Chris Blake (786-7392).

Background:

Washington's Uniform Anatomical Gift Act allows a person to donate all or part of his or her body to another person. Such an organ donor may indicate his or her intent to donate by signing a "document of gift." This document may be a driver's license, a donor card, a will, or other written statement of the donor's intentions. Hospitals must develop procedures for identifying potential organ and tissue donors and discussing donation options with the next of kin. The Department of Licensing is required to provide a statement on drivers’ licenses to allow an individual to certify their willingness to be an organ and tissue donor.

Approximately 80,000 people are on a national transplant waiting list, 1,200 of these people are listed at Washington State transplant centers. Organ procurement organizations are entities that are responsible for coordinating organ procurement for the areas that they serve. These activities include evaluating potential donors, arranging for the removal of donated organs, preserving donated organs and arranging for their distribution. There is one federally-designated organ procurement organization in Washington State and there are five transplant centers.

Summary of Bill:

The federally-designated organ procurement organization (OPO) shall establish a statewide organ and tissue donor registry. The registry shall be created with organ and tissue donor information from the Department of Licensing (Department) as well as information from other sources. Cadaveric organ and tissue agencies shall have access to the registry to assist with the recovery and placement of organs and tissues. The OPO is responsible for the cost of creating and maintaining the registry. An individual may be an organ donor without being in the registry.

The Department is instructed to electronically transfer the driver's license and identicard information of organ and tissue donors to the OPO. The Department shall regularly transfer this information and any change in donor status to the OPO at no charge. The information cannot be subsequently transferred or used by the OPO for fund raising. The Department must provide written information about organ and tissue donation to vehicle registration applicants.

The "Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Account" (Account) is created. Funds for the Account shall come from donations from vehicle registration applicants and any other contributions or appropriations. The Department must ask all vehicle registration applicants if they would like to donate money to the Account. The Department must transfer the donations to the State Treasurer who shall credit the Account. Expenditures from the Account may only be used for organ and tissue donation awareness programs, however, before any payment is made for such purposes, the Department must be reimbursed for the costs of initial installation of the registry, transfer of donor data, and computer programming and form changes. Remaining funds shall be transferred at least quarterly to the living legacy foundation

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 6, 2003.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.