Delaware Legislator Proposes a ‘You’re In Unless You Opt Out’ Organ Donation Statute

The following is from J.L. Miller and Hiran Ratnayake, Change in procedure aims to save lives ,delawareonline.com, Jan. 24, 2008:

When 23-year-old Timothy Layfield died from a sudden onset of meningitis in 2002, he left behind a young daughter and stunned family. As his mother, father, brother and sister mourned in a private room at Christiana Hospital, a representative from Gift of Life asked if they’d be willing to donate his organs.***

Timothy was among a minority, the less than 40 percent of Delaware drivers who sign up to become organ donors. That belief has turned into an effort in Legislative Hall to reverse the “opt-in” organ-donation system in Delaware to an “opt-out” one.***

On Wednesday [January 23, 2008], Rep. Peter C. Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, introduced legislation to automatically make people donors unless they opt out.