SB 30 creates new ways to register to become an organ donor
LOUISVILLE, KY Senate Bill 30 goes into effect today, allowing the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to add organ donation questions to the screen when individuals renew their car tags online. This will impact more than 30,000 people per month on average.
“On any given day, more than 100,000 Americans are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, and every 10 minutes, someone is added to the list. Sadly, 20 people die waiting every day. We had to find ways to grow the registry and help save lives, and this bill does that,” said Shelley Snyder, executive director, Donate Life KY.\
Nearly 1,000 Kentuckians are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. With the state transitioning to an 8-year driver’s license cycle and many people registering to become organ donors during renewal, Senate Bill 30 will help by expanding the registry to help those requiring urgent transplant services. Senate Bill 30 was filed by Sen. Brandon Storm on January 4, 2022. It was passed unanimously by both the House and Senate and signed into law by Governor Beshear on March 10, 2022.
“This law going into effect means we have another tool to potentially double the number of people asked to join the donor registry and support this mission each year. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, and one tissue donor can heal more than 75 lives, so the impact cannot be overstated,” said Snyder.
Moving forward, during car tag renewal, individuals will be prompted to donate to the Kentucky Organ Donor Program. Next to that donation request is a picture of a pediatric heart recipient named Brynn from Georgetown. She is alive today because of the gift of life. Click here for Brynn’s story and more stories that touch on organ donation’s vital importance and impact. For more information about organ, tissue, and cornea donation or to register as a donor, please visit donatelifeky.org.
The mission of Trust For Life (TFL) is to educate and encourage Kentuckians to register as organ and tissue donors while obtaining a driver’s license and beyond. Trust For Life partners with Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates in education and outreach and use the combined national Donate Life brand; learn more at www.donatelifeky.org