NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7331

Senate Bill S7331

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Allows individuals to register in the donate life registry through mandatory electronic tax filings

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 10, 2025	referred to health

co-Sponsors

2025-S7331 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7011
Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §4310, Pub Health L

2025-S7331 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Allows individuals to register in the "donate life registry" on any mandatory electronic tax filing.

2025-S7331 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7331

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to allowing individ-
uals to register in the "donate life registry" through mandatory elec-
tronic tax filings

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to expand opportunities for New Yorkers to
register as organ donors by including the option to enroll in the
"Donate Life Registry" when electronically filing their state income tax
returns.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 4310 of the
public health law to add mandatory electronic tax filings as an approved
method for individuals to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.

Section 2 amends paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section 4310 to
require the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with relevant state
agencies, to ensure that space is provided on electronic tax filing
documents for individuals to opt into the Donate Life Registry.

Section 3 sets the effective date of this act.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York has one of the lowest organ donation registration rates in the
nation, despite having one of the highest needs for life-saving trans-
plants. Over 9,000 New Yorkers are currently waiting for an organ trans-
plant, and each year, hundreds die because a suitable donor was not
found in time.

While significant progress has been made to increase organ donor enroll-
ment-such as allowing registration through the Department of Motor Vehi-
cles, voter registration forms, healthcare exchanges, and student finan-
cial aid applications--more must be done to ensure New Yorkers have
convenient and frequent opportunities to enroll.

By incorporating the Donate Life Registry option into mandatory elec-
tronic tax filings, this bill introduces a simple and widely accessible
method for individuals to register as donors. The annual tax filing
process reaches millions of New Yorkers across diverse demographics,
making it an effective tool for increasing organ donation awareness and
participation.

This legislation builds upon previous efforts to expand organ donor
registration by ensuring that New Yorkers are presented with this life-
saving option when completing one of the most routine and universally
required state transactions-filing their taxes.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New legislation.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day, after
becoming law.

2025-S7331 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7331
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 10, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to allowing  individ-
   uals to register in the "donate life registry" through mandatory elec-
   tronic tax filings

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision  5  of  section  4310  of  the
 public health law, as amended by section 2 of chapter 662 of the laws of
 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Such  organ,  eye  and  tissue registration of consent to make an
 anatomical gift can be made through: (i) indication made on the applica-
 tion or renewal form of a driver's license, (ii) indication  made  on  a
 non-driver  identification card application or renewal form, (iii) indi-
 cation made on a voter registration form pursuant to subdivision five of
 section 5-210 of the election law, (iv) indication made on the  applica-
 tion  for, or manual renewal application by an account holder of, health
 care coverage offered through the state  health  benefit  exchange,  (v)
 enrollment  through the donate life registry website, (vi) paper enroll-
 ment submitted to the donate life registry, (vii) indication made on the
 application or renewal form of a hunting, fishing  or  trapping  license
 issued  pursuant  to  title seven of article eleven of the environmental
 conservation law, (viii) indication made on transactions administered by
 the office of temporary and disability assistance  through  the  mybene-
 fits.ny.gov website, or any such successor website; (ix) indication made
 on  applications, renewals or related transactions for college financial
 aid, grants, or scholarships offered or administered through any website
 maintained by the higher education services corporation; (x)  indication
 made on transactions conducted through an individual's electronic health
 records;  [or]  (xi) INDICATION MADE ON ANY TAX DOCUMENT THAT IS SUBJECT
 TO MANDATORY ELECTRONIC FILING IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE  PROVISIONS  OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10817-01-5

 S. 7331                             2
 
 SECTION  TWENTY-NINE  OF  THE TAX LAW; OR (XII) through any other method
 identified by the commissioner. The department shall establish  a  means
 by which to register the consent given by individuals who are sixteen or
 seventeen  years  of  age  in  the  donate life registry, and shall make
 registration available by any of the methods provided  in  subparagraphs
 (i),  (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) [and], (xi)
 AND (XII) of this paragraph.
   § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of  section  4310  of  the  public
 health  law, as amended by section 3 of chapter 662 of the laws of 2024,
 is amended to read as follows:
   (a) Such organ, eye and tissue registration  of  consent  to  make  an
 anatomical gift can be made through: (i) indication made on the applica-
 tion  or  renewal  form of a driver's license, (ii) indication made on a
 non-driver identification card application or renewal form, (iii)  indi-
 cation made on a voter registration form pursuant to subdivision five of
 section  5-210 of the election law, (iv) indication made on the applica-
 tion for, or manual renewal application by an account holder of,  health
 care  coverage  offered  through  the  NY  State of Health, the official
 Health Plan Marketplace, (v) enrollment through the donate life registry
 website, (vi) paper enrollment submitted to the  donate  life  registry,
 (vii)  indication  made on the application or renewal form of a hunting,
 fishing or trapping license issued pursuant to title  seven  of  article
 eleven  of the environmental conservation law, (viii) indication made on
 transactions administered by the  office  of  temporary  and  disability
 assistance  through the mybenefits.ny.gov website, or any such successor
 website; (ix) indication made on applications, renewals or related tran-
 sactions for college financial aid, grants, or scholarships  offered  or
 administered  through  any  website  maintained  by the higher education
 services corporation; (x) indication made by an insured and/or applicant
 for insurance during enrollments, renewals, and the initial process  for
 an  insured  in  setting  up  an online member service portal with their
 insurer for accident and health insurance policies and contracts  issued
 pursuant to article forty-four of this chapter, article forty-two of the
 insurance  law,  or  article forty-three of the insurance law, excepting
 renewals made through the NY State of Health, the official  Health  Plan
 Marketplace,  other  than  those specifically referenced in subparagraph
 (iv) of this paragraph and paragraph (v) of subdivision one  of  section
 two  hundred six of this chapter; and provided, however, that nothing in
 this section shall apply to the medical assistance program  under  title
 eleven  of article five of the social services law; (xi) indication made
 on transactions conducted  through  an  individual's  electronic  health
 record;  [or]  (xii) INDICATION MADE ON ANY TAX DOCUMENT THAT IS SUBJECT
 TO MANDATORY ELECTRONIC FILING IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE  PROVISIONS  OF
 SECTION  TWENTY-NINE  OF THE TAX LAW; OR (XIII) through any other method
 identified by the commissioner. The department shall establish  a  means
 by which to register the consent given by individuals who are sixteen or
 seventeen  years  of  age  in  the  donate life registry, and shall make
 registration available by any of the methods provided  in  subparagraphs
 (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi) [and],
 (xii) AND (XIII) of this paragraph.
   §  3.  Subparagraph  (i)  of paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section
 4310 of the public health law, as amended by section 4 of chapter 662 of
 the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   (i) Where required by law for transactions described in  subparagraphs
 (i), (ii), (iv), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) [and], (xi) AND (XII) of para-
 graph (a) of this subdivision, the commissioner shall ensure, in consul-
 S. 7331                             3
 
 tation  with  the  head  of any agency required to implement such trans-
 action, that space  is  provided  on  any  required  form  so  that  the
 applicant  shall  register  or  decline  registration in the donate life
 registry for organ, eye and tissue donations under this section and that
 the following is stated on the form in clear and conspicuous type:
   "You  must  fill out the following section: Would you like to be added
 to the Donate Life Registry? Check box for 'yes'  or  'skip  this  ques-
 tion'."
   §  4.  Subparagraph  (i)  of paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section
 4310 of the public health law, as amended by section 5 of chapter 662 of
 the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   (i) Where required by law for transactions described in  subparagraphs
 (i),  (ii), (iv), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi) [and], (xii) AND (XIII)
 of paragraph (a) of this subdivision, the commissioner shall ensure,  in
 consultation  with  the  head  of  any agency required to implement such
 transaction, that space is provided on any required  form  so  that  the
 applicant  shall  register  or  decline  registration in the donate life
 registry for organ, eye and tissue donations under this section and that
 the following is stated on the form in clear and conspicuous type:
   "You must fill out the following section: Would you like to  be  added
 to  the  Donate  Life  Registry? Check box for 'yes' or 'skip this ques-
 tion'."
   § 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that if sections 3 and  5
 of  chapter  552  of  the laws of 2024 shall not have taken effect on or
 before such date then sections two and  four  of  this  act  shall  take
 effect  on the same date and in the same manner as such sections of such
 chapter of the laws of 2024, takes effect.  Effective  immediately,  the
 commissioner  of  health  is authorized to take any actions necessary to
 implement the provisions of this act on or before its effective date.

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Senate Bill S7331

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Sponsored By

Gustavo Rivera