SB 147-ORGAN DONATION; ADL RENEWAL  3:46:00 PM CHAIR SHOWER announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 147 "An Act requiring the Department of Administration to allow individuals to execute an anatomical gift when renewing a driver's license; and establishing April of each year as Donate Life Month." 3:46:45 PM KATIE MCCALL, Staff, Senator Mia Costello, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, introduced SB 147 on behalf of the sponsor. She stated that this legislation seeks to make it easier for Alaskans to register as an organ donor and have that designation appear on their driver's license. A larger registry of donors will facilitate these lifegiving transplants. SB 147 requires the Division of Motor Vehicles to give individuals who are renewing their driver's license by mail or online the option to be an organ donor. She directed attention to the sample application on slide 2 that highlights the optional designators on the D1 driver license application form. The "organ donor" option will now be on the renewal forms. MS. MCCALL reported that according to Life Center Northwest, 150 people in Alaska are wait-listed for an organ transplant and over 100,000 are wait-listed in the U.S. SB 147 recognizes the importance of organ donation by establishing April of each year as "Donate Life Month." This aligns with National Donate Life Month that is also in April. She turned to slide 4 that describes in detail the uses for donated organs, bones, connective tissue, corneas, skin, and veins. She concluded the presentation highlighting that one organ and tissue donor can save or significantly improve the lives of over 100 recipients. 3:49:42 PM MS. MCCALL presented the sectional analysis for SB 147. [Original punctuation provided.] Sec. 1 AS 28.15.101 Page 1, Lines 5-14, Page 2,  Lines 1-3 Is amended by adding a new subsection requiring the Division of Motor Vehicles to provide the option for individuals to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor when renewing their driver's license by mail or on the department's website. This section also requires the department to provide information detailing the procedure for organ, eye, and tissue donation on their website, and in a brochure sent to each person who renews their driver's license by mail. Under this section, the department is also required to notify the individual renewing their driver's license that the information on their license will be transmitted to the statewide donor registry. This section requires the department to direct the licensee to notify a procurement organization or the department if their license is destroyed, or if the donor revokes their anatomical gift. This section also requires the department to carry out the requirements of Chapter 50, Anatomical Gifts Registry. Sec. 2 AS 44.12 Page 2, Lines 4-8  Is amended by adding a new section, AS 44.12.190, establishing April of each year as Donate Life Month. 3:51:42 PM CHAIR SHOWER asked for a brief description of the fiscal note. MS. MCCAL relayed that the Division of Motor Vehicles estimates that 10 programing hours at $115 per hour will be required to add information about organ donor options to the website. The estimate to mail brochures about organ donation to individuals renewing by mail is $379 annually. CHAIR SHOWER asked the sponsor if she would like to speak to the bill. 3:53:32 PM SENATOR COSTELLO stated that she serves on the Life Alaska Board and it was there she learned that individuals must renew their driver's license in person if they want the organ donor designation on their driver's license. SB 147 allows an individual to become a donor when renewing their license either online or by mail. CHAIR SHOWER observed that the bill could make a statistically significant difference in the number of donations. SENATOR HOLLAND asked if the organ donor designation continues for individuals who renew their driver's license online. SENATOR COSTELLO offered her understanding that the organ donor website houses the list of donors, but it is easy to identify a donor by the red heart on an individual's driver's license. She deferred further explanation to Ms. McCall. MS. MCCALL suggested that the following section of statute provides the answer. She read: Sec. 13.50.140. Notification of cancellation.  (a) A donor whose motor vehicle or identification document information is on a registry shall notify a procurement organization or the department of the destruction or mutilation of the motor vehicle or identification document or revocation of the gift under AS 13.52.183 in order to remove the donor's name from a registry. If the procurement organization that is notified does not maintain a registry, the organization shall notify all procurement organizations that do maintain a registry. MS. MCCALL suggested the foregoing clarifies that the individual would need to notify the organization that has the registry. CHAIR SHOWER asked Jeffrey Schmitz to respond to the question. 3:57:20 PM JEFFREY SCHMITZ, Director, Department of Administration (DOA), Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Anchorage, Alaska, explained that individuals who go to the DMV to apply for a driver's license are asked whether they want to be an organ donor. This option is also available in the online application, but the individual must select the donor option to move forward with the process. Somebody who uses a paper application also has the option to select the organ donor box but there is no prompt if they fail to notice that option. He said that may be the impetus for the bill but it is important to understand that the option to be an organ doner is available regardless of how an individual renews their driver's license. 3:59:17 PM CHAIR SHOWER held SB 147 in committee.