A bill that institutes an additional safety step during the organ procurement process passed unanimously in the House last week.
House Bill 510, sponsored by Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, would allow a "pause in procedure" in organ donation. The pause can be initiated if any change in neurological status or indication of life in a patient–or uncertainty regarding the accuracy or completeness of neurological status or death declaration assessments–is reported during any organ donation recovery, preservation or procurement activity.
Hospital health providers or clinical staff, organ procurement organization or transplant center personnel, members of the surgical or anesthesiology team and the patient's spouse or legal representative can initiate a pause in procedure.
Nemes testified in a House committee meeting in February that HB 510 aims to ensure death is appropriately determined and maintain safe, ethical organ donations in Kentucky.
"What this bill does is it allows anybody in the organ donation process, if they think that there's indications of life, to cause a pause in the procedure in which case the whole process will begin over again," said Nemes on the House floor. "We believe in organ donation strongly in Kentucky and we try to support it. This is just a way to make sure we are making it more secure."
There was no discussion on the bill, which passed 97-0 on Feb. 25. It was received in the Senate on Feb. 26.
FRANKFORT, March 6 – House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, presents House Bill 90, an act related to freestanding birthing centers, on the House floor Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo LRC
