Friday, March 18, 2011

2011 Senate Bill 5386 (Creating an Organ Donation work group)

Here is the link to the Senate Bill 5386

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5386.pdf

AN ACT Relating to establishing a work group to increase organ 2 donation in Washington state; and creating a new section.

3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that organ 5 donation from deceased persons saves lives and reduces suffering for 6 recipients of all ages. The legislature further finds that waiting 7 lists for healthy organs continue to grow, creating an urgent need for 8 increasing organ donation in the state.

9 (2) A work group is created to study how other states and countries 10 have developed sustainable programs for increasing organ donation in 11 their communities. The work group shall consider all strategies that 12 have been shown to support and promote organ donation including, but 13 not limited to, donor designation registries, presumed consent, opt-in 14 and opt-out policies, professional education, and public education. 15 All costs associated with this work group will be covered by private 16 donations from interested parties. No state funds may be used to fund 17 the work group.

18 (3) The work group must include one representative each from at 19 least two designated organ procurement organizations, a transplant

p. 1 SB 53861 center, the Washington medical association, the Washington hospital 2 association, a licensed eye bank, a licensed tissue bank, and a 3 research institution. 4 (4) The work group is directed to report to the legislature by 5 December 30, 2011, with recommendations for increasing organ donations 6 in Washington state.

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What are your thoughts on this bill?