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Committee hears bill to encourage high school instruction on blood and marrow donation
Summary
Sponsors and blood‑bank representatives told the House Education Committee that classroom instruction and awareness programs could increase donations and public health resilience; bill encourages schools to offer age‑appropriate modules and requires OSPI to link materials online.
Substitute Senate Bill 56 41 would encourage Washington school districts, charter schools and state tribal education compact schools to offer instruction and awareness of blood donation to high school students, and permit age‑appropriate instruction in lower grades.
Megan Wargacki, counsel to the committee, described existing law on instruction about bone marrow donation and explained the Senate bill would apply similar encouragement and posting requirements to blood donation beginning in the 2025–26 school year. The bill names organizations that may provide curricula, including the American Red Cross, America's Blood Centers, and Bloodworks Northwest, and requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to post links to approved programs on its website.
"One of the biggest barriers to donation is lack of awareness," Michael Martinez, regional director of blood operations at Vitalant, testified. He and other blood‑center witnesses said high school donors are a key source of the blood supply and that classroom awareness paired with community outreach can increase donations and diversify donor pools.
Mark Dice, consultant with Bloodworks Northwest, described outreach programs that combine music and storytelling to engage students and reported measurable increases in first‑time donors after school events. Naomi Howitt of Bloodworks Northwest said a curriculum called Vein to Vein already aligns with Washington's science standards and can be paired with Stop the Bleed training to teach both donation science and immediate bleeding response.
Committee members asked about donor eligibility and safety screening. Witnesses noted donor deferral and screening policies are governed by federal Food and Drug Administration guidance and by individual blood‑center protocols; several testified that some cancer survivors may be eligible to donate depending on treatment and regulation.
The bill states instruction "does not have to be provided by certificated instructional staff" and may be delivered by community providers. A fiscal note was available. Committee members and witnesses discussed logistics — including parental consent for 16‑ and 17‑year‑old blood donors and how schools might integrate programs — but no committee vote occurred during the hearing.
