- Committee -

SCS/SBs 741, 929, & 871 - This act modifies the law relating to organ donation and procurement.

New terms are added to define "donee", "hospital designee", and "OPO" or "organ procurement organizations". Organ procurement organizations are added as recipients (Section 194.210).

Current law outlines the procedure for making an anatomical donation. New language allows minors age 16 or older to make an anatomical donation with parental consent. The consent must be noted on the minor's donor card, application, driver's license, or other gift document (Sections 194.220 and 194.230).

Portions of Section 194.233, RSMo, regarding hospital procedure during organ procurement are deleted. New language requires hospitals to comply with OPO requirements. This act also allows OPOs to engage procurement coordinators to assist in the recovery of donated organs (Sections 194.233 and 194.240).

Current law creates the "Organ Donor Program Fund" for the purpose of organ donation awareness programs, as directed by the Organ Donation Advisory Committee. This act allows the Fund to receive gifts, grants, contributions, and other sources. Current law designates how money in the fund will be expended. This act adds promotion of the registry, organ donation programs, and minority or ethnic organ donation as allowable expenditures (Sections 194.297 and 194.299).

This act adds to the Advisory Committee two representatives from any federally certified OPO, one representative of an eye bank, one member of the hospital industry, the Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services or a designee and one representative of the Department of Revenue. Appointed terms are clarified. The Department of Health and Senior Services must provide internet access to the organ donor registry for authorized personnel. A report is due on the subject by January 15, 2003 (Section 194.300 and 194.302).

Current law outlines vehicle registration requirements. New language is added to allow applicants for registration to make a donation of $1 to promote an organ donor program. The new language will become effective on July 1, 2003 (Section 301.020).

The procedure individuals must follow when applying for a Missouri driver's license is outlined in current law. This act provides that, upon renewal, the Department must ask if the applicant is interested in being on the organ donor registry and must inform the applicant about the ability to consent to organ donation on his or her driver's license. The Director must provide by rule the procedure and format for an applicant to indicate an anatomical gift on the back of a nondriver's license card (Sections 302.171 and 302.181).

ERIN MOTLEY