BILL NUMBER:  S6228

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend Lauren's law, in relation to extending the expiration
date of the provisions thereof

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

The purpose of this legislation is to extend for an additional four
years the provisions of state law requiring individuals who apply for
a New York State Drivers License to complete the organ donor registry
section. The applicant must check the box for either "yes" or "skip
this question" under the organ donor registry section of the
application.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1. This bill would extend Chapter 465 of 2012 for an
additional four years, until the year 2020.

Chapter 465 of 2012 amends the public health law to require the DMV
commissioner to provide space on certain driver forms for registering
or declining to register in the donate life registry. This applies to
an application or renewal form of a license, non-driver identification
card application or renewal form. On the application, in clear and
              

conspicuous writing, an individual is required to check either "yes"
or "skip this question" when answering the question "Would you like to
be added to the Donate life registry?"

Chapter 465 also provides that the commissioner shall not maintain
records of any person who checks "skip this question." Failure to
check a box will not impair the validity of the application and
failure to check "yes" or checking "skip this question" will not be
interpreted as a wish not to donate.

If an applicant is not 18 years of age, checking "yes" will not
constitute consent to make an anatomical gift. And where an applicant
has previously consented to make an anatomical gift or registered in
the donate life registry, checking "skip this question" or failing to
check a box will not impair this previous consent or registration.

Section 2 states that this Act shall take effect immediately.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Chapter 465 of 2012, named after a 12-year old girl who received a
lifesaving heart transplant, is set to expire in October 2016. This
legislation would extend the provisions of this chapter until October
2020, which requires applicants who fill out motor vehicle forms to
affirmatively check that, "yes" they will be an organ donor, or to
check the box stating that they are skipping the question.

According to the New York State Organ Donor Network, New York
currently has the lowest Donor Designation Rate in the United States.
Extension of this law will continue to promote and increase the number
of organ donors in the state while taking into consideration all of
the individual rights of persons to decline enrollment into the
program.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.