Senate Passes Organ Donor Tax Credit Expansion as Part of New York's Ongoing Efforts to Attract Donors

ALBANY, NY– Earlier today the Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) as part of New York's ongoing efforts to attract new organ donors.  Carlucci's bill S1475, expands the existing tax deduction of $10,000 for human organ donations to make it easier for persons to donate organs without worrying about expenses related to the transplant. If signed into law, the bill would allow the spouse of a human organ donor to claim a deduction related to transportation expenses, lost wages, and lodging expenses related to the donor's transplant.  An expanded tax credit would also include child care costs within the $10,000 deduction when such costs are incurred by the organ donor and spouse in relation to a transplant procedure.  
 

"A vast majority of citizens support organ donation, however less than half of those who support such a program have signed their organ donor card.  In the state of New York, there were only 460 living donors. This left a substantial number of terminally ill patients without the opportunity to receive an organ transplant.  Expansion of this tax deduction would ensure that organ donors are with their loved ones while making the choice to save another person's life through organ donation.  By making our tax laws more supportive of this life saving decision I am hopeful we will continue to see increases in potential donors," said Senator Carlucci. 

Additionally, the Senate passed the "Living Donor Protection Act of 2017" to ensure that New Yorkers receive reliable and accurate information about live organ donation and to ensure that those who donate are protected against insurance discrimination and benefit from paid family leave.     

"Last year, New York had the largest single year increase in organ donor registration ever resulting in the number of New Yorkers on the national transplant waitlist dropping below 10,000 for the first time many years.  We have made strides over the last few years and I am encouraged by ongoing efforts to keep up the momentum," Carlucci concluded.  

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