NY State Senate Bill 2021-S5843

Senate Bill S5843

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires the commissioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents relating to the adoption of instruction in information relating to blood, bone marrow and organ and tissue donations

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to education
Mar 19, 2021	referred to education

2021-S5843 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §305, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2015-2016: S7003
2017-2018: S8458
2019-2020: S2439
2023-2024: S2870

2021-S5843 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S5843 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5843

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the commis-
sioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents
relating to the adoption of instruction in information relating to
blood, bone marrow and organ and tissue donations in senior high schools

 
PURPOSE:

This bill requires the commissioner of education to make recommendations
to the board of regents relating to the adoption of instruction in
information relating to blood, bone marrow and organ and tissue
donations.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision
57 that would require the State Education Department to consider if

instruction in organ and tissue, blood and bone marrow donations in high
schools can be beneficial.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York has the unfortunate distinction of being 50th in the nation in
organ and tissue donation. For a myriad number of reasons, the number of
donors in New York is not nearly enough to meet the needs of potential
recipients. There are more than 10,000 individuals currently waiting for
an organ and tissue donation in the State, and unfortunately due to the
severe shortage of donors, an individual passes away every fifteen hours
because they could not get a critically needed donation.

It is not just organ and tissue donation that New York must improve on.
Blood donations and bone marrow donations are two other important types
of donations that can help save and improve the lives of others.  In New
York, the current age of consent to register as a bone marrow and organ
and tissue donor is 18. The age of consent to donate blood is 17 (or 16
with parental consent). Therefore, it is critical our students be fully
informed of the numerous lifesaving benefits of each of these types of
donations before they reach the age of consent so they can make an
informed decision on whether to register as a donor. Moreover, students
that are fully informed can have constructive dialogues with their fami-
lies and friends about the benefits of being a donor.

It goes without saying that being a donor is one of the easiest ways to
have a profound impact on the lives of others. One organ donor has the
ability to save up to 8 lives, and impact up to 50 more.  Similarly, one
pint of blood from one donor has the ability save up to 3 lives. New
York must do better to raise the number of donors in the state. One of
the most effective ways to do so is to keep asking and keep informing.
This bill will require all students to be informed about organ and
tissue, bone marrow and blood donations and will hopefully, result in a
greater number of people becoming donors and saving lives.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018: S 8458 COMRIE Same as A 5004-A Ortiz
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2021-S5843 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5843
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 19, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the  commis-
   sioner  of  education  to make recommendations to the board of regents
   relating to the adoption of instruction  in  information  relating  to
   blood,  bone  marrow  and  organ  and  tissue donations in senior high
   schools
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 57 to read as follows:
   57.  A.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF
 REGENTS RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF INSTRUCTION IN INFORMATION  RELATING
 TO  BLOOD,  BONE  MARROW  AND ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATIONS AND THE WAYS IN
 WHICH SUCH DONATIONS  CAN  BE  BENEFICIAL  TO  OTHERS,  IN  SENIOR  HIGH
 SCHOOLS.
   B.  PRIOR  TO  MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL:
   (I) SEEK  THE  RECOMMENDATIONS  OF  TEACHERS,  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATORS,
 TEACHER  EDUCATORS AND OTHERS WITH EDUCATIONAL EXPERTISE IN THE PROPOSED
 CURRICULUM;
   (II) SEEK COMMENT FROM PARENTS, STUDENTS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES;
   (III) CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME SUCH  CURRICULUM  WILL
 REQUIRE  AND WHETHER SUCH TIME WOULD DETRACT FROM OTHER MANDATED COURSES
 OF STUDY;
   (IV) CONSIDER THE FISCAL IMPACT, IF  ANY,  ON  THE  STATE  AND  SCHOOL
 DISTRICTS; AND
   (V) CONSIDER ANY ADDITIONAL FACTORS THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS RELEVANT.
   C.  NO  LATER THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE
 BOARD OF REGENTS TO EITHER ADOPT AND PROMULGATE  APPROPRIATE  RULES  AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD09673-01-1

 S. 5843                             2
 
 REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING SUCH CURRICULUM OR REJECT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 SUCH  CURRICULUM. UPON RECEIVING A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER,
 PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL VOTE TO  EITHER
 ACCEPT  OR  REJECT THE COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION NO LATER THAN SIXTY
 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING SUCH RECOMMENDATION.
   D. IF THE BOARD OF REGENTS  ADOPTS  SUCH  CURRICULUM,  THE  CURRICULUM
 REQUIREMENT  SHALL  TAKE EFFECT NO LATER THAN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AFTER
 SUCH CURRICULUM HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
   E. IF THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH CURRICULUM,  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  PROVIDE  A REPORT TO THE DETERMINATION OF THE BOARD TO THE GOVER-
 NOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE  ASSEMBLY
 AND  THE  CHAIRS  OF  THE  SENATE  AND  ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES ON EDUCATION
 PROVIDING THE REASONS FOR SUCH REJECTION  NOT  LATER  THAN  THIRTY  DAYS
 AFTER THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH CURRICULUM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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