Tennessee House Bill HB0301

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/19/23

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 10; Title 32; Title 34; Title 38; Title 55 and Title 68, relative to transfers of human body parts or organs.

Impact

The proposed amendment is designed to streamline the process by which human organs and body parts can be transferred, potentially enhancing the efficiency and regulatory compliance in Tennessee. By modifying the associated fees, the bill aims to ensure that the programs handling these transfers remain adequately funded to support their operations. This measure could positively impact the overall effectiveness of organ donation initiatives, thereby affecting public health outcomes related to transplantation.

Summary

House Bill 0301 proposes an amendment to several sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated regarding the transfer of human body parts or organs. Specifically, the bill suggests increasing the fee associated with certain organ transfer processes from one dollar to two dollars. This increase reflects a nominal adjustment that is expected to aid in administrative costs related to the management of organ donation programs within the state.

Contention

While the bill appears straightforward, there may be discussions surrounding the appropriateness of the fee increase. Stakeholders, including advocacy groups for organ donation, could have varying opinions on whether additional financial burdens, even nominal ones, may deter potential donors or create barriers to access. Opponents of the fee increase might argue that any cost associated with organ donation should ideally be minimized to encourage participation and improve donation rates.