05/03/2004 09:06 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 337(FIN)                                                                                             
     "An  Act  relating  to  anatomical   donor  registries,  to  an                                                            
     anatomical   gift  awareness   fund,  to  an  anatomical   gift                                                            
     awareness    program,   to    motor   vehicle   licenses    and                                                            
     registrations, and to state identification cards."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the first  hearing  for this  bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Wilken  stated  this  bill,  sponsored  by Representative                                                             
McGuire,  "creates  an organ  donor registry  program  in which  the                                                            
information  obtained by DMV [Department  of Motor Vehicles]  can be                                                            
transferred  to  Life  Alaska  Donor  Services.  [It]  allows  motor                                                            
vehicle  applicants to  donate  a dollar or  more to  the Organ  and                                                            
Tissue [Donation] Awareness Fund."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
HEATH  HILYARD, Staff  to Representative  Lesil  McGuire,  testified                                                            
that currently,  when applying for an operator's license  or vehicle                                                            
registry,  an  individual  would decide  to  become an  organ  donor                                                            
through the Division of  Motor Vehicles. This process does not allow                                                            
for donor information  to be disseminated  beyond the Division.  The                                                            
proposed legislation would  establish an organ donor registry, which                                                            
would allow for  a transfer of information between  the Division and                                                            
Life  Alaska Donor  Services,  the State's  organ  and tissue  donor                                                            
program.  Participation in  the registry would  be voluntary,  and a                                                            
donor could be removed from the registry at his or her will.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ERIN  HALL-MEADE,   Life  Alaska   Donor  Services,  testified   via                                                            
teleconference  from an offnet location  that she was available  for                                                            
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
DWAYNE BANNOCK, Director,  Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of                                                            
Administration,   testified  via   teleconference  from   an  offnet                                                            
location that the Division is "proud to support this bill".                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson asked  if this legislation  would  result in  slowing                                                            
down the surgical procedure of harvesting organs.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Hilyard replied this legislation would expedite the process.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Hall-Meade affirmed.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bunde  offered a motion to  report this bill from  Committee                                                            
with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Without objection  CS HB  337 (FIN) MOVED  from Committee with  zero                                                            
fiscal note  #1 from the  Department of Health  and Social  Services                                                            
and   fiscal   note  #2   for   $7,000  from   the   Department   of                                                            
Administration.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE 10:32 AM / 3:09 PM