Bill Text: TX HCR57 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Encouraging Texans to donate bone marrow and blood and to register as organ donors.
Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-19 - Received from the House [HCR57 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR57-Engrossed.html
| 85R27210 KSM-D | ||
| By: Wu, Sheffield, Zerwas, Oliverson, | H.C.R. No. 57 | |
| Bonnen of Galveston | ||
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| WHEREAS, Citizens across the Lone Star State recognize the | ||
| vital importance of organ, bone marrow, and blood donation; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Although 95 percent of adults support organ | ||
| donation, less than half of Americans are signed up to be donors; | ||
| additionally, only 2 percent of the population is on the national | ||
| registry for bone marrow, and while an estimated 38 percent of U.S. | ||
| residents are eligible to donate blood, less than 10 percent of that | ||
| group actually donates each year; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In Texas, organ donors can register online through | ||
| the Donate Life Texas organization or with the Texas Department of | ||
| Public Safety driver's license application or renewal, and there | ||
| are numerous centers for bone marrow and blood donation across the | ||
| state; furthermore, under Sections 661.916-661.917, Government | ||
| Code, state employees serving as organ, bone marrow, or blood | ||
| donors are entitled to a leave of absence or sufficient time off | ||
| without a deduction in pay; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Countless men, women, and children benefit each year | ||
| from the charity and sacrifice of those who donate blood, bone | ||
| marrow, and organs, and it is incumbent on all Texans to learn about | ||
| ways to contribute to these lifesaving procedures; now, therefore, | ||
| be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby encourage Texans to donate bone marrow and blood and to | ||
| register as organ donors; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That all counties and cities be encouraged to adopt | ||
| the same policy as the state with regard to time off for public | ||
| employees not to exceed 5 working days in a fiscal year to serve as a | ||
| bone marrow donor or 30 working days in a fiscal year to serve as an | ||
| organ donor, and not to exceed four times in a fiscal year to donate | ||
| blood. | ||
