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Committee advances bill to make Emily Keys/John W. Buckner donor awareness fund permanent
Summary
Lawmakers heard testimony from Donor Alliance and transplant recipients and advanced a bill to remove the fund’s sunset clause so state‑collected donations continue to support organ and tissue donation outreach and education.
A House Health & Human Services committee voted to advance Senate Bill 122, a measure to remove the sunset clause for the Emily Keys/John W. Buckner Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund and continue the partnership with Donor Alliance as the fund’s administrator.
Sponsor Representative English said the fund has supported public education and donor registration efforts since 2007 and asked the committee to preserve the program by removing the scheduled termination date. Donor Alliance President and CEO Jennifer Prins testified that the nonprofit provides in‑kind administrative support and directs contributed dollars to education and registry outreach; she said the state has been among the top jurisdictions for donor designation rates.
Tony Young, a volunteer donor advocate and transplant recipient, told the committee the fund’s outreach work supports registration and community education; he urged lawmakers to ‘‘please pass this bill to allow the donor lines to continue the great work that they do.’’
Under the bill, the fund would continue indefinitely (the sponsor described it in testimony as removing the sunset clause), and Donor Alliance would continue to serve as the fiduciary administrator. The bill requires Donor Alliance to submit an annual report to the Department of Revenue detailing the amounts and uses of funds received by October 1 each year; the Division of Motor Vehicles continues to collect voluntary contributions from applicants (driver’s license/ID transactions) and transfer them to the fund.
Witnesses described the fund’s activities in outreach, school‑based education and community events. The sponsor also noted the bill clarifies that a donor designation on a driver’s license remains in effect until revoked by the applicant, codifying donor intent as an advanced directive.
The committee moved the bill to the Committee on Finance with a favorable recommendation; the recorded committee vote was 10‑3. Sponsors said the bill consolidates a small number of related statutory funds and clarifies reporting and administration but does not require a new appropriation to keep the program running.
Ending: The bill will be considered next in Finance. Supporters emphasized the fund’s educational role and required annual reporting as safeguards; several committee members asked about the permanent fund language and oversight, and the sponsor noted an advisory board and annual reporting remain in statute.
