BILL NUMBER: S6921A

SPONSOR: BRESLIN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring written
in-person or electronic notifications to be utilized for registration in
the donate life registry

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill provides a prioritization of written notice methods for New
Yorkers registering in the New York State Donate Life Registry to
require, where possible, in-person or electronic notice to those
persons.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 4310 of the
public health law, which outlines the requirement of written notifica-
tion to registrants in the state's donate life registry, to add
provisions requiring the use of either in-person or electronic means of
              

notification wherever possible in the fulfillment of this requirement.

Section 2 amends paragraph c of subdivision 5 of section 4310 of the
public health law, to add provisions clarifying the time of activation
of an enrollee's registration, and requiring the use of either in-person
or electronic means of notification wherever possible in the fulfillment
of this requirement.

Section 3 sets the effective date of this act.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

While important recent improvements have been made, New York unfortu-
nately continues to struggle with regard to the percentage of residents
that are registered as organ and tissue donors. Nearly 9,000 individuals
are in need of a life-saving organ transplant at any given time, which
represents one of the highest need for donors in the United States. Over
1,500 people in New York State have been on the national transplant
waiting list for more than five years.  Sadly, in 2020 alone, nearly 600
New Yorkers died in part due to a pronounced shortage of donors.

This legislation takes a common sense approach to modernizing communi-
cations for New Yorkers enrolling as organ and tissue donors through the
donate life registry. While communications with registrants are impor-
tant, modern improvements can and should be made to make communications
more equitable, convenient, effective, and transparent to enrollees in
the registry.

This bill mandates that, where possible, notice of registration be
provided to new enrollees either in-person at the time of enrollment, or
by approved electronic communication methods. Providing convenient,
immediate notice to registrants through methods they have embraced in so
many important areas of their everyday lives will provide the same
information registrants receive now in a much more timely and accessible
manner for New Yorkers irrespective of housing security, frequency of
relocation, or access to postal services.

The legislation will provide millions of New Yorkers statewide with
improved and convenient access to their registration notices through
familiar and contemporary methods of communication. The legislation
contemplates no changes to the contents of current communications, and
maintains a current methods of notice as options for registrants, as
well.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.6921 - REFERRED TO HEALTH

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.