Requires State agencies to provide information regarding living donations; appropriates $1 million.
Summary
This bill requires every New Jersey State agency, in consultation with the Department of Human Services (DHS), to make public educational information about living donation. The information must be available in hard copy at each agency location and prominently posted on agency websites, with DHS responsible for supplying the materials and updating them at least every two years. The bill defines “living donation” as the donation of an anatomical gift by a living donor for transplantation into another person.
The measure also appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to DHS to carry out the program. It would take effect immediately upon enactment and would apply broadly to executive branch departments and instrumentalities, including State colleges and public institutions of higher education, but not local governments.
Impact
The bill would add a new public-information mandate to Title 26 of the Revised Statutes, requiring State agencies to distribute and display living-donation materials and assigning DHS ongoing responsibility for content development and updates. It would also create a direct fiscal impact by dedicating $1 million in General Fund money to implement the outreach effort. The practical effect would be to expand State-sponsored awareness of organ and tissue donation among people interacting with government offices and websites, potentially affecting prospective donors, transplant recipients, and the agencies required to post the information.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the available record suggests a generally supportive, public-health-oriented purpose with no documented opposition in the materials provided. The bill is framed as an educational and awareness measure rather than a regulatory or enforcement-heavy proposal, which typically tends to draw favorable treatment. No formal vote history or hearing comments are available here to indicate broader legislative sentiment.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the $1 million appropriation, since the bill creates a new spending commitment for a public-information campaign. Another possible issue is the administrative burden on State agencies, which must provide both paper and digital materials and keep them updated through DHS guidance. However, no specific objections, amendments, or opposing arguments are included in the provided record, so any contention is only inferential rather than documented.