Assemblymember Chris Eachus (D-New Windsor) announced that legislation he sponsored to encourage the donation of organs from living donors has passed the Assembly (A.2377). This is the first bill to pass in the Assembly that Eachus sponsored.

“Living organ donors are true heroes who deserve our gratitude and support,” said Eachus. “Our state is experiencing a severe shortage of organs for lifesaving medical procedures. I sponsored this crucial bill to reward living donors by covering their medical expenses and lost income, allowing these selfless donations to be far less of a burden on the donor while also reducing long wait times for patients. I thank my colleagues for supporting this measure, and I look forward to sponsoring and passing more legislation that will have a meaningful impact on the lives of New Yorkers.”

The bill is an amendment to Chapter 814 of 2022 and provides additional clarifications to the law. The original legislation was intended to help eliminate barriers to organ donation, bringing New York up from its low rank in donations among all states. According to the latest data, about 8,150 candidates are on organ transplant wait lists, including 7,115 people waiting for a kidney.^[1]

“A defining trait of our great state is that New Yorkers are there for each other in times of need. Donating a liver or kidney can be a significant medical decision, so making it as easy as possible is in the best interest of everyone involved. By enacting the nation's first state program to reimburse these medical costs, we hope to open the doors of care for the thousands of New Yorkers in need.” noted Eachus.

^[1] optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/state-data