Bill Text: NJ AJR170 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates month of April of each year as "Donate Life Month."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-02 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee [AJR170 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-AJR170-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman HEATHER SIMMONS
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Designates month of April of each year as "Donate Life Month."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating the month of April each year as "Donate Life Month."
Whereas, Organ donation is a lifesaving service which can benefit thousands of New Jersey residents and their families by giving the recipient a chance at life when they are losing hope; and
Whereas, People of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and religions are affected by organ donation; and
Whereas, Currently, there are nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents and over 100,000 Americans awaiting life-saving transplant operations; and
Whereas, Every eight minutes someone in America is put on the organ transplant list, and for some it may be a matter of life and death, as they suffer with end-stage organ failure or survive a horrific accident; and
Whereas, The serious shortage of available organs and tissue is a critical reason why 17 people die every day waiting for a transplant; and
Whereas, Time is of the essence for individuals waiting for an organ transplant, and increasing the number of donors will expand availability for organs as well as increase diversity for matching donors to recipients; and
Whereas, A single organ donor has the ability to save eight lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others through tissue donation; and
Whereas, In April 2003, the non-profit organization, Donate Life America, established National Donate Life Month to help encourage people to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and celebrate those lives which have been saved by transplants; and
Whereas, Registering as an organ donor does not change the quality of health care an individual receives throughout their lifetime; and
Whereas, In 2022, the NJ Sharing Network reported there was an all-time high record set in the State with 283 organ donors saving 670 lives in addition to the 40,000 eye and tissue donations which improved the quality of the recipients' lives; and
Whereas, New Jersey residents can register as an organ and tissue donor at their local Motor Vehicle Agency or through the National Donate Life Registry online; and
Whereas, By devoting an entire month to recognizing the immense value of organ and tissue donation as well as the consequences of failing to promote donor registration, New Jersey is committed to bringing hope to those waiting for these life-saving services and honors those who have made the decision to give the gift of life to others; now, therefore,
Be It
Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
1. The month of April each year is designated as "Donate Life Month" to promote organ donor registration and celebrate the lives of those who have been impacted by organ donation.
2. The Governor is respectfully requested to issue an annual proclamation calling upon public officials, citizens of the State, and other interested groups to observe "Donate Life Month" with appropriate programs and activities.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This resolution designates the month of April each year as "Donate Life Month" in the State of New Jersey.
The intent of this resolution is to honor those who have made the decision to give the gift of life to others and to encourage all New Jersey citizens to register as organ donors. Organ donation is a lifesaving service that can benefit thousands of New Jersey residents and their families. For example, it only takes one donor to save eight lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others by their tissue and eye donation. Transplants, however, are only available to those on the donor waitlist who are able to be matched based on blood and tissue type, organ size, medical urgency, waiting time, and geographic location. The rate at which people are added to the waitlist is greatly outpaced by the amount of people currently registered as organ donors. Consequentially, in America, at least 17 people die every day waiting for an organ transplant. This is why it is important that all adult residents of New Jersey register to become organ donors as increasing the amount of eligible donors will alleviate the impact on those waiting for transplants in the State.
New Jersey residents can register as an organ and tissue donors at their local Motor Vehicle Agency or through the National Donate Life Registry online. New Jersey has shown a commitment to providing high quality health care services regardless of whether someone is registered as an organ donor. There is much to be done still in closing the gap in the amount of available organs and those who are on the organ donor waitlist.
