Bill Text: TX HCR42 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Designating February 26 as Bone Marrow, Blood, and Organ Donation Registry Day for a 10-year period beginning in 2019.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-29 - Signed by the Governor [HCR42 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HCR42-Enrolled.html
H.C.R. No. 42 |
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WHEREAS, Organ, bone marrow, and blood donations play an | ||
essential role in a broad range of critical medical treatments, and | ||
citizens across the Lone Star State can do their part by registering | ||
to become donors and by taking part in local blood drives; and | ||
WHEREAS, Although 95 percent of Americans support organ | ||
donation, only about half are signed up to be donors, and only 2 | ||
percent of the population is on the national registry for bone | ||
marrow; moreover, while an estimated 38 percent of U.S. residents | ||
are eligible to donate blood, less than 10 percent of that group | ||
actually does so each year; and | ||
WHEREAS, In Texas, registering to become an organ donor is a | ||
simple and straightforward process; more than 11 million state | ||
residents have already joined the registry, thanks in part to the | ||
efforts of the Donate Life Texas organization; DLT works in | ||
conjunction with the Texas Department of Public Safety to enable | ||
Texans to register as part of the driver's license application and | ||
renewal process; in addition, there are numerous centers for bone | ||
marrow and blood donation throughout the state, and some employers, | ||
including the State of Texas, offer time off or other incentives to | ||
encourage donation; and | ||
WHEREAS, Many individuals have devoted themselves to | ||
furthering the donation effort, and Dr. Anh Nguyen Reiss stands as | ||
a particularly inspiring example; a Houston physician who was | ||
diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, Dr. Reiss dedicated the | ||
last years of her life to spreading awareness of the need for bone | ||
marrow donors; though she passed away on February 26, 2016, at the | ||
age of 48, she and her family and friends helped more than double | ||
the number of Vietnamese donors on the registry; and | ||
WHEREAS, By taking the necessary steps to become donors, | ||
Texans can be part of a life-saving process that benefits countless | ||
men, women, and children each year, and the anniversary of | ||
Dr. Reiss's death serves as a fitting date to focus attention on | ||
this important issue; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby designate February 26 as Bone Marrow, Blood, and Organ | ||
Donation Registry Day; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section | ||
391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect | ||
until the 10th anniversary of the date that this resolution is | ||
finally passed by the legislature. | ||
Wu | ||
Davis of Harris | ||
Zerwas | ||
Turner of Tarrant | ||
Morrison | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.C.R. No. 42 was adopted by the House on April | ||
1, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 2, 1 present, not | ||
voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.C.R. No. 42 was adopted by the Senate on May | ||
15, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |