E.__Notwithstanding Title 22, section 1711-C and any other provision of law to the contrary, a health care provider licensed in this State to provide primary health care shall provide information to a federally designated organ procurement organization regarding a patient who has indicated a willingness to become an organ donor under this section, Title 18-A, Article 5, Part 8 or Title 22, chapter 710 if such information is provided in accordance with professional standards applicable to organ donation and if donor intent has not been overridden pursuant to Title 22, section 2911, subsection 2.

5.__Effect.__An expression of willingness to make an anatomical gift under this section has the same effect as a designation under Title 18-A, Article 5, Part 8 or Title 22, chapter 710.__Revocation or suspension of the right to drive under this chapter does not affect the expressed willingness of a person to make an anatomical gift under this section.

6.__Rulemaking.__The Secretary of State shall adopt rules to implement this section.__Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

Sec. 8. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2004.

SUMMARY

This bill addresses organ and tissue donation and transplantation. It adds a short segment on organ and tissue donation and transplantation to the driver's education curriculum and directs the Secretary of State's office to read to applicants for driver's licenses a short statement on organ and tissue donation and to provide an opportunity for the applicant to become a donor. It directs the Secretary of State to modify its existing database system to maintain the Maine Organ Donor Registry, to establish a volunteer advisory committee and to make registry information available to federally designated organ procurement organizations. The bill requires persons in possession of an advance health care directive to submit the directive to the Maine Organ Donor Registry. It provides