On behalf of our client Save Lives Now New York, a living organ donation public interest organization, Willett Public Affairs is proud to have led the way for the passage of groundbreaking organ donation legislation in New York, the Living Donor Support Act.
After an intense lobbying effort beginning in January, the New York State Legislature passed the Living Donor Support Act (A. 146-A/S1594) on June 1. This life-saving bill creates incentives for New Yorkers by removing financial barriers to organ donation. It provides reimbursement for certain expenses of New York donors who make a living organ donation to another New York resident. Eligible expenses for reimbursement include financial costs incurred by donors, lost wages, sick and vacation days, childcare, travel and lodging or donor medical expenses. The bill also provides for patient education through nephrologists and primary care practitioners.
The bill is the first of its kind in the United States. Now that both houses of the legislature have passed this important bill, Willett Public Affairs will be working with the transplant community in advocating for Governor Hochul to sign it into law.
Willett Public Affairs partners Perry Ochacher and Matthew Lesieur worked with Save Lives Now New York and a wonderful coalition of organ transplant recipients, donors, advocates, organizations and medical professionals to lobby for passage of the Living Donor Support Act. We also worked closely with bill sponsors and Health Committee Chairs Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, and are grateful to them and their staffs for all the hard work and dedication on this important issue.
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