An Act To Improve Organ Donation Awareness
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0835
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: ROCHELO, LANGLEY, ESPLING, HERBIG, SANBORN, SIROCKI
Amends: 29-A MRSA §1312, 29-A MRSA §1402-B

Legislative Document 
No. 835 
H.P. 586 
House of Representatives, March 5, 2013 
An Act To Improve Organ Donation Awareness 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative ROCHELO of Biddeford. 
Cosponsored by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock and 
Representatives: ESPLING of New Gloucester, HERBIG of Belfast, SANBORN of Gorham, 
SIROCKI of Scarborough. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §1312 is enacted to read: 
§1312.  Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Fund voluntary checkoff 
1.  Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Fund.  When applying for or renewing a 
license under this subchapter, a person may designate that a $2 donation be paid into the 
Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Fund established in section 1402-B, subsection 4.  A 
person who designates a $2 donation under this subsection shall include with the person's 
license application or renewal fee sufficient funds to make the contribution.  Each license 
application form under section 1301, subsection 1 and license renewal form under section 
1406 must contain a designation in substantially the following form: "Maine Organ and 
Tissue Donation Fund donation:  ( ) $2 or ( ) Other $... ." 
2.  Contributions credited to Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Fund.  The 
Secretary of State shall determine annually the total amount contributed pursuant to 
subsection 1.  Prior to the beginning of the next year, the Secretary of State shall deduct 
the cost of administering the Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Fund checkoff and report 
the remainder to the Treasurer of State, who shall forward that amount to the Maine 
Organ and Tissue Donation Fund. 
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §1402-B, sub-§3, ¶¶C and D, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 
168, §4, are amended to read: 
C.  Assist the Secretary of State in developing strategies to increase donations that the 
council may find effective; and 
D.  Establish numerical goals for increasing organ and tissue donation rates in the 
State, to include a baseline account of current organ and tissue donation rates, as well 
as periodic benchmarks for success. The bureau may provide monthly donor 
designation rates for each branch office of the bureau to assist in identifying goals.; 
and 
Sec. 3.  29-A MRSA §1402-B, sub-§3, ¶E is enacted to read: 
E.  Administer the Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Fund established in subsection 
4. 
Sec. 4.  29-A MRSA §1402-B, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4.  Maine Organ and Tissue Donation Fund.  The Maine Organ and Tissue 
Donation Fund, referred to in this subsection as "the fund," is established as an interest-
bearing account administered by the council for the purpose of facilitating the education 
and registration of residents of the State in organ donation.  Any private or public funds 
appropriated, allocated, dedicated or donated to the fund, including from the Maine 
Organ and Tissue Donation Fund checkoff under section 1312, must be deposited into the 
fund as well as income from any other source directed to the fund.  All interest earned by 
the fund becomes part of the fund.  Any balance remaining in the fund at the end of the 
fiscal year does not lapse but is carried forward into subsequent fiscal years.  All money 
received into the fund must be used for the purposes of the fund except that balances in 
the fund may be used for the necessary expenses of the council in the administration of 
the fund. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Secretary of State to place a $2 donation checkoff on driver's 
license application and renewal forms to fund the Maine Organ and Tissue Donation 
Fund created by this bill and administered by the Organ Donation Advisory Council to 
facilitate the education and registration of residents of the State in organ donation.