Bill would extend job‑protected leave for living organ and marrow donors; advocates cite lifesaving benefits

The committee heard H 6065, a bill that would add living organ donation and bone‑marrow donation to the state’s list of qualifying reasons for medical leave for covered private‑sector employees.

Sponsor Representative Geraldo said the bill would provide job protection and access to Temporary Disability Insurance for employees who undergo living organ donation procedures or bone‑marrow donation and recovery. The sponsor described a structure similar to Family and Medical Leave Act protections but focused on donors’ recovery time — for example, providing 30 days for major living organ procedures and five days for marrow donations as typical ranges in the draft.

Michael Beauregard of the American Kidney Fund testified in support and said the policy would reduce financial barriers to donors, increase the number of living donors (who typically have better outcomes than deceased‑donor transplants) and ultimately reduce state health‑care costs tied to dialysis and long‑term care. A living donor who spoke at the hearing described paying out‑of‑pocket recovery expenses and housing costs for a friend who donated a kidney, and urged lawmakers to reduce the hardship on donors.

Several members asked technical questions about whether the leave would be employer‑paid or accessed through existing benefits such as Temporary Disability Insurance; the sponsor said the intent is to add organ donation as an eligible reason to take medical leave and to allow donors to use TDI during the recovery period. The committee did not vote and requested technical drafting with statutory references to FMLA and TDI frameworks.