Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) announced the passage of his bill that will make it easier for New Yorkers to learn about joining the national bone marrow donor registry.

The legislation, carried in partnership with Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, allows individuals applying for or renewing a driver’s license or non-driver ID to opt in to receive information from the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Marrow Donor Program—both of which connect volunteer donors to patients in need of a bone marrow transplant.

“Every three minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer like leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma,” said Ra. “For many, a bone marrow transplant is their only hope, but finding a compatible donor can be incredibly challenging and is often a race against time. Offering a simple opportunity at the DMV to learn more and consider joining the donor registry will help save lives.”

“This bill is especially meaningful to me on a personal level,” Ra continued. “My mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma at a young age and bravely battled it for many years. When her cancer returned during my high school years, a bone marrow transplant from a donor on the registry gave our family more time with her—time we wouldn’t have had otherwise. Though we ultimately lost her, that transplant allowed her to see me and my siblings graduate, and for that, I’ll always be grateful. I know firsthand how life-changing these donations can be.”

According to the latest data, more than 1.6 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from blood cancers, and more than 57,000 were expected to die from them in 2024 alone. Transplants are often the only viable treatment, especially for aggressive or late-stage diseases, but many patients, especially those from diverse backgrounds, struggle to find compatible donors due to underrepresentation in the registry.

“This bill aims to close that gap by boosting awareness and encouraging voluntary participation in the donor pool during one of the most routine interactions New Yorkers have with the state: renewing a license,” Ra concluded.