Proposed Res. No. 1196-A
Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, Lauren's Law, S.7103/A.10039, legislation that would require mandatory registration or declination of registration in the organ donor registry.
By Council Members Arroyo, Brewer, Dromm, James, Mark-Viverito, Mendez, Palma, Recchia, Vacca, Williams, Garodnick, Dickens and Ulrich
Whereas, According to the New York State Department of Health, approximately 1,500 people receive donated kidneys, livers, and hearts for transplantation in New York State every year; and
Whereas, However, currently, more than 8,000 New York State residents are on waiting lists for life-saving organ donations; and
Whereas, Despite this significant need for organ donors, New York State has the lowest donor designation rate in the United States, according to New York State Organ Donor Network; and
Whereas, In New York State, residents can become organ donors by registering with the New York State Donate Life Registry; and
Whereas, This registry allows individuals to directly give their legal consent for the recovery of organs, eyes and tissue; and
Whereas, Most New Yorkers sign up to be organ and tissue donors through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when they apply for or renew a driver's license; and
Whereas, However, individuals currently are not required to respond to the question of whether they want to enroll as an organ donor, when they submit their license application or renewal form; and
Whereas, Therefore, individuals may simply skip this question because they are unaware of the option to enroll as an organ donor when applying for or renewing a driver's license; and
Whereas, On May 2, 2012, Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Orange) and Assembly Member Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) introduced Lauren's Law, S.7103/A.10039; and
Whereas, Lauren's Law is named after Lauren Shields, an 11 year-old who was diagnosed with Viral Myopathy, an enlarged heart, and eventually with Cardiomyopathy in 2009; and
Whereas, Due to her condition, Lauren was in need of a heart transplant; and
Whereas, Lauren's name was added to the transplant list on February 3, 2009 and she was fortunate to receive a lifesaving heart transplant on March 19, 2009; and
Whereas, Lauren experienced a long recovery and has turned her personal experience into an active lobbying campaign to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation, as she continues to encourage individuals to enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry; and
Whereas, Every year more than two million people in New York State apply for or renew their driver's license; and
Whereas, It has been estimated that 97 percent of individuals enrolled in the State's Donate Life Registry enrolled when obtaining or renewing their license; and
Whereas, Lauren's Law would require that any individual who applies for or renews his or her driver's license answer whether he or she would like to enroll in the registry in order to obtain the license; and
Whereas, The individual would have the option to respond "yes" or "not at this time" in response to enrolling into the organ donation registry; and
Whereas, Other recent efforts to increase the number of organ donors in New York State include allowing individuals to enroll in the state registry online, as well as a recently issued request for proposals which seeks a vendor organization to assume the administration and operation of the New York State Donate Life Registry, similar to how other state registries operate, and
Whereas, In addition, nationally, Facebook has teamed up with Donate Life America to use social media to increase the number of organ, eye and tissue donors throughout the United States; and
Whereas, Lauren's Law would raise awareness about the State Donate Life Registry and would likely result in a greater number of organ donors in New York State; and
Whereas, By enacting Lauren's Law countless lives will likely be saved; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, Lauren's Law, S.7103/A.10039, legislation that would require mandatory registration or declination of registration in the organ donor registry.
LS # 3092
JM/JU
5/9/12