House panel supports young registry for organ donation

SPRINGFIELD — Teens 16 and 17 years old applying for a driver's license or a state identification card would be offered the chance to enter their names on an organ and tissue donor registry, under legislation approved unanimously by an Illinois House committee Thursday.

The legislation, HB 1805, is sponsored by Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park. It already has 25 cosponsors.

Currently those registering for an organ or tissue registry have to be at least 18.

"As it is now in Illinois the 16- and 17-year-olds can't register because it's a consent registry and they can't give legal consent until they're 18. So they get a license, but they can't register," said Larry Lefferts of Bloomington, who became an advocate for organ donation after the death of his 22-year-old son, John, in 2004.

Read more: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-02-23/house-panel-supports-young-registry-organ-donation.html