Organ and tissue transplantation: uninsured or undocumented individuals.

Existing law, the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, authorizes the making of a donation of all or part of a human body or a pacemaker to take effect upon or after death, as specified. Existing law also requires each general acute care hospital to develop a protocol for identifying potential organ and tissue donors. Existing law requires an application for an original or renewal driver's license or identification card to contain a space for the applicant to enroll in the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. Existing law required the former State Department of Health Services to consult with the Legislature, on or before December 31, 1991, to evaluate and make recommendations to improve the effectiveness of organ transplantation for the general public and in minority communities and low-income communities in California, as specified. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health to convene a working group to evaluate ways to provide organ transplants to uninsured or undocumented residents of the state who are ineligible for organ transplants due to financial hardship. The bill would require the working group to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2021, as specified. The bill would require the working group to be comprised of representatives from certain entities, including, among others, community-based immigrant rights and health organizations. The bill would require the working group to evaluate relevant data, including, but not limited to, the number of organ donors who are undocumented residents of the state and the percentage of organ transplant recipients who are medically insured. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2021. The bill would make legislative findings and declarations in support of its provisions.