Committee Passes Conaway & Benson Resolution Supporting Organ Procurement Organizations, Opposing Detrimental Federal Policy

(TRENTON) – In response to a policy implemented by the Trump administration that threatens to shut down organ procurement organizations throughout the country, Assembly Democrats Herb Conaway and Daniel Benson sponsor a resolution opposing the new federal rules and supporting the NJ Sharing Network.

Organ procurement organizations (OPOs) are non-profit groups responsible for obtaining organs from deceased donors for transplantation. The new performance review process for these organizations runs the risk of shutting down up to half of all OPOs over the next five years.

The measure (AR-212) opposes any enforcement of these rules while supporting New Jersey’s largest OPO, the NJ Sharing Network, which has increased its rate of organ donor registration and recovery by 35 percent over the past five years.

Upon the measure recently being advanced by the Assembly Health Committee, Committee Chairman Conaway (D-Burlington) and Assemblyman Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex) issued the following joint statement:

“New Jersey’s organ procurement organizations have saved the lives of more than 15,300 people in just a little over three decades by registering new donors and obtaining organs for critical transplants. They are among 58 OPOs throughout the country working hard to promote and coordinate organ donation.

“Biased, inaccurate information referenced by the previous presidential administration has been used to create detrimental policies that could force many of these OPOs to shut down. Without a plan in place to establish alternate infrastructure in the event of an OPO’s closure, there could be no one left to carry on their efforts to help the thousands of patients awaiting life-saving organs.

“Our state must oppose any enforcement of these rules, renew our commitment to relying on accurate data, and affirm our support for the OPOs that support our residents.”

The bill now heads to the Assembly Speaker for further consideration.