Whereas , The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its
purpose, which is to increase organ donations forthwith through education and
access, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public convenience.<_?>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 8D of chapter
90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby
amended by adding the following 3 paragraphs:-
The registrar shall provide to federally-designated organ procurement
organizations serving the commonwealth access to names, dates of birth and other
pertinent information of licensed drivers who have registered with the registry
of motor vehicles as organ donors for the sole purpose of identifying those
drivers as organ donors. Such access shall be provided, after referral of the
potential donor by a hospital, critical access hospital or medical examiner to
an organ procurement organization in accordance with federal regulations, in a
manner and form to be determined by the registrar following consultation with
federally-designated organ procurement organizations, which may include
electronic transmission. The registrar shall, upon transmission of the
information, notify the surviving spouse or next of kin at the donor's address
of the information transmitted. On any form used by the registry for organ
donation, there shall be a disclaimer notice that informs the donor that certain
information shall be provided to federally-designated organ procurement
organizations upon the donor's death.
The registrar shall include, in the required driver education and training
course as provided for in section 8 and in section 13D of chapter
71, an information session on organ donation. The information session shall
include educational materials to be provided by federally-designated organ
procurement organizations serving the commonwealth.
The registrar shall make available in all registry branches educational
materials as provided by federally-designated organ procurement organizations
serving the commonwealth.
SECTION 2. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by
inserting after section 84B the following section:-
Section 84C. Every licensed funeral director, his agent or servant, when
discussing preplanning conferences with potential clients, shall make available
to those clients information and education regarding organ donation.
Approved January 1, 2003.