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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	October 28, 2015 10:22 AM
From:	Representative Joseph A. Petrarca and Rep. Bryan Cutler
To:	All House members
Subject:	Donate Life PA Act to Modernize Pennsylvania’s Organ Donation Law

In the near future, we plan on introducing legislation that would amend Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to update and revise Pennsylvania law regarding organ and tissue donation. This legislation, which is commonly referred to as the Donate Life PA Act, was introduced last session as House Bill 30 and will be given the same bill number in the current legislative session. As many of you may know, Pennsylvania enacted Act 102 of 1994, which helped set a national standard for anatomical donations. Since that time, nearly every other state has updated their organ and tissue donation laws using the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, which is model legislation developed by the national Uniform Law Commission. The Donate Life PA Act draws many of its provisions from this uniform act, while also building on existing Pennsylvania law. In addition, it incorporates many of the recommendations made by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee in their evaluation of the Pennsylvania’s Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Program (OTDAP), which was conducted pursuant to House Resolution 698 of 2006. The Donate Life PA Act would: Increase education about organ and tissue donation in secondary schools, as well as at medical and nursing schools, Incorporate provisions of the revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act into Pennsylvania law, Update provisions relating to the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund and the OTDAP, Reinforce the priority of transplantation in the law and affirm that anatomical donations must be initially referred to a federally-designated organ procurement agency to ensure that donations are subject to regulatory oversight, and Encourage the cooperation of medical examiners and coroners with organ procurement organizations. The legislation will bolster Pennsylvania’s position as a national leader in organ and tissue donation, while helping the more than 8,000 patients awaiting life-saving organ transplants in the Commonwealth. House Bill 30 of the 2013-2014 Legislative Session co-sponsors: PETRARCA, CUTLER, YOUNGBLOOD, DAVIS, McGEEHAN, MILLARD, LONGIETTI, PASHINSKI, O'BRIEN, GIBBONS, MAHONEY, FRANKEL, STURLA, DENLINGER, MILNE, KORTZ, D. COSTA, COHEN, PYLE, MOLCHANY, MATZIE, DeLISSIO, MULLERY, RAVENSTAHL, M. DALEY, BOBACK, FLYNN, SABATINA, MAHER, TOOHIL, BROWNLEE, MARKOSEK, REESE, STEVENSON, KIM, SIMS, HAHN, BRIGGS, K. BOYLE, BURNS, P. COSTA, DeLUCA, CARROLL, HARHAI, DEASY, BRADFORD, ROEBUCK, CONKLIN, GOODMAN, KIRKLAND, SAMUELSON, J. HARRIS, WHITE, VITALI, GERGELY, THOMAS, EVANKOVICH, PARKER, O'NEILL, SAINATO, D. MILLER, SCHREIBER, CRUZ, W. KELLER, WATERS, GODSHALL, FABRIZIO, V. BROWN, KOTIK, GALLOWAY, WHEATLEY, BISHOP, SANTARSIERO, HENNESSEY, KINSEY, DEAN, PAINTER, McCARTER, NEILSON, ENGLISH, CLAY, FEE, GROVE, DiGIROLAMO, VEREB, EVERETT, HARHART, FARINA, REGAN, ELLIS, FLECK, AUMENT, MENTZER, MICOZZIE, LUCAS, SAYLOR and TOBASH

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