Springfield- More people may be able to decide if they’re going to be organ donors in the state. Jesse White’s proposed bill to expand the Organ/Tissue Donor Registry passed a House Committee.
The law would allow 16 and 17-year-olds to register for the state’s First Person Consent Organ/Tissue Donor Registry when they receive their driver’s license or identification card. The legislation passed the House Transportation: Vehicles & Safety Committee unanimously, Friday February 24, 2017.
“Our goal is always to save lives,” White said. “Thousands of Illinoisans are waiting for an organ. Many of those who wait are someone’s mother, father, daughter or son. This legislation, which the vast majority of other states have implemented, is an important step in reducing the number of those on the waiting list.”
Under current law, an individual must be at least 18 years old to join the registry. By joining the First Person Consent Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, 16- and 17-year-olds will be giving consent to donate their organs and tissue at the time of their death, with a single limitation.
There are 47 states that have enacted this legislation. Approximately 4,700 people are on the waiting list and about 300 people die each year waiting for an organ transplant. One person can improve the quality of life for up to 25 people.