Organ donation.

Existing law authorizes the creation of a not-for-profit entity to be designated as the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registrar and authorizes the establishment and maintenance of the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry for persons who have identified themselves as organ and tissue donors upon their death. This bill would authorize the creation of a not-for-profit entity to be designated as the Altruistic Living Donor Registrar and authorizes the establishment and maintenance of the Altruistic Living Donor Registry for persons who would like to identify themselves as kidney donors during their lifetime. This bill would permit the registrar to include on the registry persons who identify themselves as donors of organs and tissue other than kidneys if a specified finding is made by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medical (CMS) and the United Network for Organ Sharing. This bill would require the information contained in the registry be made available to federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and transplant centers in California to expedite matches between identified organ donors and potential recipients. This bill would permit the registrar to receive voluntary contributions to support the registry and its activities. Under existing law, the Department of Motor Vehicles is required to include on an application for a new or renewal driver's license or identification card a space for the applicant to give his or her consent to be an organ or tissue donor upon death and a specified statement regarding organ donation. Existing law also allows an applicant for a new or renewal license to designate a voluntary donation of $2 for the purpose of promoting and supporting organ and tissue donation. This bill would, instead, on and after July 1, 2011, require the department to include on an application for an original or renewal driver's license or identification card specified language asking the applicant if he or she wants to enroll with the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry and giving the applicant information about the registry, including disenrollment information. The bill would also require the department to ask the applicant verbally if he or she wishes to enroll in the registry. The bill would require the department to transmit to the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry and the appropriate fiscal committees of the Legislature an annual report, and to make available quarterly updates, detailing funds collected through voluntary contributions from applicants as well as a summary of specified nonidentifiable applicant information.