STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2560

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1500

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1500 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require anatomical gifts to be accepted if these gifts are medically suitable for transplantation.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation and one private individual.

     Your Committee finds that chapter 327, Hawaii Revised Statutes, was enacted with the intent to save lives and improve the lives of people in need of an organ transplant.  However, the anatomical gifts laws are not consistently being followed.  Organ transplant procurement organizations have ignored an organ donor designation on an individual's drivers license, thus decreasing the number of available organs for transplant.  This measure enforces the organ donor gifts procedures and ensures that organ donor designations are followed.

     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 S.B. No. 1500 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair