| R 224 |
| 2026 -- H 8413 Enacted 04/07/2026 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CELEBRATING APRIL OF 2026, AS "ORGAN DONATION MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Potter, Giraldo, Kennedy, Tanzi, Fogarty, Phillips, and Ajello |
| Date Introduced: April 07, 2026 |
| WHEREAS, Each and every day, new people join the national organ transplant waiting |
| list. Sadly, many of them will die because not enough organs are available for transplant, and |
| thousands of others whose lives would greatly benefit from the gift of an organ, eye, or tissue |
| donation continue to wait and hope; and |
| WHEREAS, There are more than 100,000 Americans, with approximately 5,000 in New |
| England, who are currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and due to critical shortages, |
| an average of 13 to 17 people die each day waiting; and |
| WHEREAS, Organ donation is oftentimes the only hope at a new life for people with |
| end-stage organ failure. There are over one million life-enhancing tissue transplants each year |
| that are made possible by the generous donation of corneas, bone, skin or other tissue; and |
| WHEREAS, Organ and tissue donation can help to save someone's life and benefits up to |
| 50 recipients by simply signing up and enrolling in the Rhode Island Donor Registry when |
| applying for, or renewing a driver's license, or by registering on-line at www.RegisterMe.org; and |
| WHEREAS, In Rhode Island, 99 percent of all people who register to become a donor do |
| so at the Division of Motor Vehicles, and it is fitting that Rhode Island joins in the national goal |
| of signing up 50 percent of the State's driving population to become donors, and is dedicated to |
| making it faster and easier to sign up to save a life through the Division of Motor Vehicles; and |
| WHEREAS, Organ Donation Month pays tribute to organ and tissue donors and their |
| families whose decision to Donate Life enables others to receive life-saving organs and tissues for |
| transplant; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| celebrates April of 2026, as "Organ Donation Month" and urges all the citizens of Rhode Island |
| to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance by getting the heart |
| symbol placed on their Driver's license, ID or REAL ID, and register as an organ donor; and be it |
| further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Mr. Walter Craddock, Administrator, RI |
| Division of Motor Vehicles, and Alexandra K. Glazier Esq., President and Chief Executive |
| Officer, New England Donor Services. |
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| LC004532 |
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