AB 1374: Driver’s licenses: organ donation.

Existing law, the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, authorizes the creation of a not-for-profit entity to be designated as the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registrar and requires that entity to establish and maintain the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry for persons who have identified themselves as organ and tissue donors upon their death.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon issuance of a new drivers license or a renewal of a drivers license or the issuance of an identification card, to provide information on organ and tissue donation. Existing law requires an application for an original or renewal drivers license or identification card to contain a space for the applicant to enroll in the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry and requires the application to include specified check boxes for an applicant to indicate whether to add the applicants name to the registry. Existing law requires the back of the application to include a specified disclosure statement informing the applicant that by marking Yes in the check boxes the applicant is legally authorizing the recovery of organs and tissues in the event of their death. Existing law authorizes a person who applies for an original or renewal drivers license or identification card to designate a voluntary contribution of $2 for the purpose of promoting and supporting organ and tissue donation, as specified.

This bill would revise and recast these requirements relating to providing for enrollment for organ or tissue donation through the process of obtaining a drivers license or identification card from the department, including deleting an outdated reporting requirement and making conforming changes to related provisions. The bill would instead require the department to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry to mutually agree upon the language providing for enrollment in organ or tissue donation. The bill would authorize a person who applies for an original or renewal drivers license or identification card to designate a voluntary contribution of $2 or more, as specified.