8622 - The Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund.
§ 8622. The Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund. (a) Establishment.--All contributions received by the Department of Transportation under section 8621 (relating to The Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund contributions) and the Department of Revenue under section 8618 (relating to voluntary contribution system) and the Department of Health under section 8617 (relating to requests for anatomical gifts) shall be deposited into a special fund in the State Treasury to be known as The Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund, which is hereby established. (b) Appropriation.--All moneys deposited in the fund and interest which accrues from those funds are appropriated on a continuing basis subject to the approval of the Governor to compensate the Department of Transportation, the Department of Health and the Department of Revenue for actual costs related to implementation of this chapter, including all costs of the Organ Donation Advisory Committee created in subsection (c). Any remaining funds are appropriated subject to the approval of the Governor for the following purposes: (1) 10% of the total fund may be expended annually by the Department of Health for reasonable hospital and other medical expenses, funeral expenses and incidental expenses incurred by the donor or donor's family in connection with making a vital organ donation. Such expenditures shall not exceed $3,000 per donor and shall only be made directly to the funeral home, hospital or other service provider related to the donation. No part of the fund shall be transferred directly to the donor's family, next of kin or estate. The advisory committee shall develop procedures, including the development of a pilot program, necessary for effectuating the purposes of this paragraph. (2) 50% may be expended for grants to certified organ procurement organizations for the development and implementation of organ donation awareness programs in this Commonwealth. The Department of Health shall develop and administer this grant program, which is hereby established. (3) 15% may be expended by the Department of Health, in cooperation with certified organ procurement organizations, for the Project-Make-A-Choice program, which shall include information pamphlets designed by the Department of Health relating to organ donor awareness and the laws regarding organ donation, public information and public education about contributing to the fund when obtaining or renewing a driver's license and when completing a State individual income tax return form. (4) 25% may be expended by the Department of Education for the implementation of organ donation awareness programs in the secondary schools in this Commonwealth. (c) Advisory committee.--The Organ Donation Advisory Committee is hereby established, with membership as follows: (1) Two representatives of organ procurement organizations. (2) Two representatives of tissue procurement providers. (3) Six members representative of organ, tissue and eye recipients, families of recipients and families of donors. (4) Three representatives of acute care hospitals. (5) One representative of the Department of Health. (6) One representative of eye banks. All members shall be appointed by the Governor. Appointments shall be made in a manner that provides representation of the northwest, north central, northeast, southwest, south central and southeast regions of this Commonwealth. Members shall serve five-year terms. The Governor may reappoint advisory committee members for successive terms. Members of the advisory committee shall remain in office until a successor is appointed and qualified. If vacancies occur prior to completion of a term, the Governor shall appoint another member in accordance with this subsection to fill the unexpired term. The advisory committee shall meet at least biannually to review progress in the area of organ and tissue donation in this Commonwealth, recommend education and awareness training programs, recommend priorities in expenditures from the fund and advise the Secretary of Health on matters relating to administration of the fund. The advisory committee shall recommend legislation as it deems necessary to fulfill the purposes of this chapter. The advisory committee shall submit a report concerning its activities and progress to the General Assembly within 30 days prior to the expiration of each legislative session. The Department of Health shall reimburse members of the advisory committee for all necessary and reasonable travel and other expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this section. (d) Reports.--The Department of Health and the Department of Education shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly on expenditures of fund moneys and any progress made in reducing the number of potential donors who were not identified. (e) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "vital organ" means a heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, small bowel, large bowel or stomach for the purpose of transplantation. (Dec. 20, 2000, P.L.881, No.120, eff. imd.) 2000 Amendment. Act 120 amended the section heading and subsec. (a). See sections 2, 3 and 4 of Act 120 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to references to Organ Donation Awareness Trust Fund, use of existing forms by Department of Revenue and use of existing forms by Department of Transportation. Special Provisions in Appendix. See section 9 of Act 102 of 1994 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to secondary education program. References in Text. Section 8618, referred to in this section, is repealed. Cross References. Section 8622 is referred to in sections 8601, 8617, 8621 of this title.