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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 49.002(m), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(m) In consultation with the Texas Organ, Tissue, and Eye |
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Donor Council, the department shall [may] implement a training |
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program for all appropriate Department of Public Safety and Texas |
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Department of Transportation employees on the benefits of organ, |
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tissue, and eye donation and the procedures for individuals to be |
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added to the statewide Internet-based registry of organ, tissue, |
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and eye donors. The department, with expert council input and |
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support, shall implement the training program before the date that |
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the statewide Internet-based registry is operational and shall |
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conduct the training on an ongoing basis for new employees. |
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SECTION 2. Section 692.003(d), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) A gift made by a document other than a will is effective |
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on the death of the donor. The document may be a card designed to be |
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carried by the donor. To be effective, the document must be signed |
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by the donor in the presence of two witnesses except as otherwise |
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provided by Subchapter Q, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, or |
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other law. If the donor cannot sign the document, a person may sign |
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the document for the donor at the donor's direction and in the |
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presence of the donor and two witnesses. The witnesses to the |
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signing of a document under this subsection must sign the document |
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in the presence of the donor. Delivery of the document during the |
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donor's lifetime is not necessary to make the gift valid. |
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SECTION 3. Section 521.401(c), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Donor cards shall be provided to the department and the |
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Texas Department of Transportation by qualified organ or tissue |
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procurement organizations or eye banks, as those terms are defined |
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in Section 692.002, Health and Safety Code, or by the Donor |
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Education, Awareness, and Registry Program of Texas established |
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under Chapter 49, Health and Safety Code. The department and the |
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Texas Department of Transportation shall: |
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(1) provide to each applicant for the issuance of an |
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original, renewal, corrected, or duplicate driver's license or |
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personal identification certificate or motor vehicle registration |
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who applies in person, by mail, over the Internet, or by other |
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electronic means: |
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(A) the opportunity to indicate on the person's |
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driver's license or personal identification certificate that the |
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person is willing to make an anatomical gift, in the event of death, |
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in accordance with Section 692.003, Health and Safety Code; and |
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(B) an opportunity for the person to consent in |
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writing to the department's provision of the person's name, date of |
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birth, driver's license number, most recent address, and other |
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information needed for identification purposes at the time of |
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donation to the organization selected by the commissioner of state |
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health services under Chapter 49, Health and Safety Code, for |
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inclusion in the statewide Internet-based registry of organ, |
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tissue, and eye donors and for release to qualified organ, tissue, |
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and eye bank organizations by specifically asking each applicant |
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the question, "Would you like to register as an organ donor?"; and |
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(2) provide a means to distribute donor cards to |
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interested individuals in each office authorized to issue driver's |
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licenses or personal identification certificates. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |