Report Title:

Organ and Tissue Donors; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for the Organ Donor Center of Hawaii.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1829

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

Relating to anatomical gifts.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there is a critical shortage of organ and tissue donors in the state.  Many patients are on waiting lists for kidney, liver, heart, lung, and other organ and tissue transplants.  The number of people requiring a life-saving transplant continues to rise faster than the number of available donors, especially among minority ethnic groups.  As of January 5, 2007, there were more than ninety-four thousand patients awaiting transplants on the national waiting list.  Every thirteen minutes, a new name is added to the waiting list and every day, an average of seventeen patients die while waiting.  In Hawaii, there are three hundred and seventy eight patients waiting and for the past five years, an average of nineteen patients have died while waiting for a second chance at life.  For various reasons, minority ethnic groups appear to be at increased risk of suffering illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure that can lead to organ failure, resulting in the need for organ transplants.  The success rate of organ transplants is often improved when the donor and the recipient are of the same ethnic or racial group.  Therefore, a shortage of organ donors among certain minority ethnic groups may disproportionately impact patients belonging to that minority ethnic group. 

     However, the legislature further finds that difficulties exist in making members of various minority ethnic groups aware of the need for anatomical gifts.  Education efforts need to be undertaken to raise awareness among minority ethnic groups of the importance of organ and tissue donation, and to encourage such donations.  Raising public awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation is in the public's interest, and necessary for the public health, safety, and general welfare. 

     The legislature further finds that the Hawaii Organ Procurement Organization, also known as the Organ Donor Center of Hawaii, is a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.  Incorporated on July 16, 1987, the Organ Donor Center of Hawaii has coordinated efforts to procure organ and tissue donations and find appropriate recipients for the donations.  This process includes:

     (1)  Evaluating potential donors;

     (2)  Presenting the option of donation to families;

     (3)  Providing medical management to donors; and

     (4)  Placing organs according to nationally established criteria.

The Health Care Financing Administration has designated the Organ Donor Center of Hawaii as the "organ procurement organization" for Hawaii under Section 1138 of the Social Security Act. 

     The legislature further finds that the Organ Donor Center of Hawaii is an organization that meets the requirements of section 42F-103, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and that a grant to this organization to raise public awareness of organ and tissue donation and increase the number of individuals consenting to organ donation is in the public interest, and for the public health, safety, and general welfare.

     The purpose of this Act is to increase the number of individuals consenting to organ and tissue donation by expanding and promoting public education and awareness programs on organ, tissue, and eye donations, including the minority organ tissue transplant education program.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $175,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the Organ Donor Center of Hawaii to increase the number of individuals consenting to organ and tissue donation by expanding and promoting public education and awareness programs on organ, tissue, and eye donations, including the minority organ tissue transplant education program.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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