Nevada senators want youth to learn about organ donation in school
Nevada middle and high school students would learn about organ and tissue donation in health class, according to a proposal presented to the Senate education committee.
Sens. Julia Ratti, D-Sparks, and Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, presented Senate Bill 112 on Thursday.
“It really is informed consent on the part of our young people,” Ratti said, clarifying the language “course of study” used in her bill was meant to mean a simple curriculum or lesson.
Ratti wanted to target students before they apply for a driver’s license at the Department of Motor Vehicles, which is when people are asked whether they’d like to be an organ donor.
The bill would require instruction in organ and tissue donation, including how donations help others and how to register.
The information could be easily added into existing curriculum, Kieckhefer said, and could increase the number of donors in the state.
About 1 million people, or 40 percent of the adult population in the state, are registered as organ donors, according to testimony.
No action was taken on Thursday.
Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.