Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/25/2004 03:35 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
CSHB 337-ANATOMICAL(FIN) GIFTS REGISTRY
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced CSHB 337(FIN) to be up for
consideration. He asked Representative McGuire's staff to come
forward.
HEATH HILYARD, staff to Representative Lisel McGuire, advised
that he would address his comments to version \X. The bill
formalizes an electronic registry for the collection of donor
information between a donor registry program and the Department
of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and establishes an anatomical donation
awareness fund.
He called attention to page 3, lines 6-10, which is the change
made in the House Finance Committee. It calls for notifying the
DMV if the donor elects to revoke the gift. Further he noted
there is a $7 thousand fiscal note that would be assumed by the
northwest regional donor procurement organization.
If there were specific questions regarding the nature of the
registry, he would defer to the executive director of Life
Alaska and the director of Motor Vehicles.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS apologized that he had another commitment at
5:30 pm so he would hold the bill if all questions weren't
addressed by that time.
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY stated he had a meeting as well.
SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS asked to hear from DMV to find out if
they were comfortable running the program or whether it would be
out sourced.
MR. HILYARD thought the information would be collected at the
point of registry, which would be at the DMV.
SENATOR GUESS asked where the money would go.
MR. HILYARD believed it was a standalone fund for the purpose of
marketing the registry.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced that Mr. Bannock was online and
could answer those questions more definitively. He asked whether
there were further questions.
SENATOR GUESS asked Mr. Hilyard to discuss with the sponsor the
possibility of including bone marrow donations in the fund.
MR. HILYARD said he wasn't sure whether or not that would fall
under tissue donation and perhaps the representative from the
donor registry program could better answer the question.
SENATOR GUESS told him that bone marrow is not considered the
same as tissue.
DUANE BANNOCK, representative from the Department of
Administration and Division of Motor Vehicles, explained the $7
thousand would allow additional computer programming and told
Senator Guess that the money is handled in a similar fashion to
the Veteran Commemorative Plate legislation that she sponsored
last year. Customers that affirm that they would like to
participate in the program financially will be accounted for and
that information would then be forwarded directly to the organ
donation organization on either a weekly, daily, or quarterly
basis.
SENATOR GUESS asked if you would have the opportunity to donate
again each time you renewed your license.
MR. BANNOCK replied that is correct. "We will ask you every time
you come to the DMV." This would apply to ID cards and vehicle
registration in addition to the driver's license.
There were no further questions for Mr. Bannock.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Mr. Zalneraitis from Life Alaska if he
had testimony.
MR. ZALNERAITIS, Life Alaska representative, said he was
available to answer questions.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked him to respond to Senator Guess's
question regarding bone marrow donors.
SENATOR GUESS asked if there would be a problem in including
bone marrow donation in the awareness portion of the program.
MR. ZALNERAITIS said they are different in that bone marrow
donation is directed to living donors and this program is
directed at donation after death. However, Life Alaska advocates
for donation to help others in any form so they support
education and awareness for donations for bone marrow, blood,
and organ and tissue. "That's in part why we join up with the
Blood Bank of Alaska, for example, to sponsor a program to
increase awareness."
There were no further questions for Mr. Zalneraitis.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Senator Guess if she was satisfied with
that answer.
SENATOR GUESS replied that she would talk with the sponsor about
specifically including bone marrow awareness. "It's sounds like
it's kind of incorporated anyway. If we're doing awareness for
one it sounds like it would be a good idea and given the lack of
bone marrow donors in the country...."
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked her to follow up on that point.
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY motioned to move CSHB 337(FIN) from
committee with attached fiscal notes.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Senator Guess if she had any objection
to moving the bill and she did not object.
There being no objection, CSHB 337(FIN) moved from committee
with attached fiscal notes.
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