Rep. Bizzaro: Both state and federal laws and regulations play an important role because they provide a safe and fair system for allocation, distribution, and transplantation of donated organs. Policy also can help raise awareness about organ donation for the public. Organ donation is the greatest possible gift but for many people comes with a lot of questions that often aren’t thought of until the last minute. Policy creates opportunities for education and outreach to help people think of and get answers to their questions before it becomes an urgent decision. The House Democratic Policy Committee, which I chair, has already taken members for a tour of the Center for Organ Recovery and Education to help them get the word out to their constituents and save lives. Rep. Culver: As a lawmaker and a kidney transplant recipient, I know firsthand that there are policy options to promote organ donation, and many states, including Pennsylvania, could be doing more to support and encourage donors and their recipients. Some policy changes that I will be exploring that would be helpful in the transplant process would be to allow a donor to receive unemployment for four to six weeks for recovery, to ease the financial burden; allow companies to seek tax credits for an employee who is a donor; and looking at tax credits for donors to account for expenses and lost wages. These changes may lead to an increase in living donation and lessen spending of public dollars on dialysis.