STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3339

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2139

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2139, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANATOMICAL GIFTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is enact the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act to conform to the 2006 Uniform Anatomical Gift Act law enacted in other states.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation, National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, and Organ Donor Center of Hawaii.  Comments were received from The Queen's Medical Center.

     The State's current law on anatomical gifts was enacted by Act 267, Session Laws of Hawaii 1988, which is now superseded by an updated and revised 2006 Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, which is the foundation for successful organ donation throughout the United States.  This measure provides an important update to reflect the current system of allocations of organs for transplantation and to help increase available organs and tissues for transplantation that will serve to save the lives of many individuals on organ donor waitlists.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying the role of the attending physician in making decisions concerning medical suitability of the part, on the recommendation of The Queen's Medical Center; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050 to continue the discussions on this matter.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2139, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2139, H.D. 2, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair