Austin Lawmakers Want New Bill Making Texans Automatic Organ Donars

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KRTK is reporting that Lawmakers in Austin are kicking around the idea of automatically registering Texans as organ donors unless they specifically 'opt out'.

The new bill is proposed by Dallas State Representative Jason Villalba and would be the first of it's kind if it does pass. The official state organ and tissue registry 'Donate Life Texas' is opposed to what will be known as House Bill 1938.

The bill is worded so that automatic donor status is only for people getting their license for the first time, and anyone renewing a license who is over the age of 18 (the age group with potentially the healthiest organs). The bill requires the state give you at least two reminders to opt out if you do not want to be an organ donor. This is the reason 'Donate Life Texas' opposes the bill. They say people will be reminded to opt out over and over and it will hurt the number of available donors.

Texas currently has 9.2 million registered organ donors in the state. According to KRTK, 22 people die in America each day waiting for an organ match.