Texas House Bill HB407

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to registration as an organ donor at the time of motor vehicle registration.

Impact

The implementation of HB 407 is expected to streamline the process of organ donor registration for Texas residents. By integrating this crucial question into the vehicle registration process, the bill aims to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and potentially increase the number of registered donors. The inclusion of personal identification information for those who opt-in is designed to facilitate a more efficient registration process with the statewide donor registry.

Summary

House Bill 407, introduced by Representative Price, focuses on enhancing organ donation registration by making it more accessible to individuals during the motor vehicle registration process. The bill specifically amends Section 502.189 of the Transportation Code to require that offices authorized to issue motor vehicle registrations proactively ask individuals if they would like to register as organ donors. This is seen as a significant step towards increasing organ donation rates in the state of Texas, by offering individuals the opportunity to make this decision at an already pertinent moment.

Contention

While the bill has broad support focusing on the benefits to public health and increased organ availability, there may be concerns regarding privacy and the handling of personal information. Critics could raise issues surrounding how effectively and securely the data will be managed, and whether individuals feel comfortable making such declarations during a routine process like vehicle registration. However, the overall sentiment favors the bill as a necessary measure to combat organ shortages.