Assembly adopts organ‑donor awareness resolution and members urge action on tax‑form sign‑up bill

The New York State Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution memorializing Gov. Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 2025 Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Month, and lawmakers used the floor debate to press for additional measures to boost organ‑donor registrations.

The resolution, read as Legislative Resolution 309, passed after a series of floor remarks by members describing personal connections to organ donation and urging outreach. Assemblymember Paul Palmisano, speaking for the resolution, highlighted the shortage of donors and said, “a single person, just 1 person who donates at the time of their death can save up to 8 lives and impact the lives of 75 others through eye and tissue donation.”

Members said the resolution matters because New York’s registration rate lags the nation and people on transplant lists continue to die while they wait. Palmisano said New York has nearly 8,000 residents waiting for an organ transplant, nearly 1,000 waiting more than five years, and that “last year, we lost nearly 400 men, women, and children waiting for a life saving organ transplant.” He and other members credited prior state steps — including what they called “Lauren’s Law,” a 2012 change that requires DMV applicants to answer whether they want to be an organ donor — with improving rates but said more is needed.

Assemblymember (first name not specified on the record) and several colleagues described additional statutory changes the Assembly enacted in recent years. Speakers noted a 2015 change allowing 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds to register their intent and a 2017 creation of an online organ donor registry; members said those changes helped but did not close the gap between New York’s registration rate (described on the floor as about 51 percent) and the national rate (about 66 percent).

Several lawmakers asked the Assembly to take further, specific action. Assemblymember Smolin urged passage of Assembly Bill 7011, saying, “I would like this body to act on assembly bill 7011, which is a common sense, piece of legislation that would encourage many more New Yorkers through their tax forms to sign up for the donate life program.” Other members urged sustained outreach through offices and social media and bipartisan sponsorship of additional bills to raise awareness, including measures to improve notification when a death occurs outside a hospital so eye and tissue donation remains possible.

Not all floor remarks were legislative proposals. Several members offered personal testimony: Assemblymember DeStefano described registering when he renewed his license after years of hearing colleagues’ stories; Assemblymember Walsh and others recounted family experiences and urged members to tell families their wishes so donations are not missed at the time of death.

The resolution was adopted by voice vote. The Assembly did not record a roll‑call tally for the resolution on the floor transcript; the clerk announced the resolution was adopted after members answered in the affirmative.

Members and sponsors said they will pursue additional bills and outreach to increase registrations, including encouraging colleagues to cosponsor A.7011 and to publicize donor registration opportunities beyond the DMV.