Bipartisan Legislation to Continue Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund Passes Committee Unanimously

SB25-122 would extend the Emily Keyes - John W. Buckner Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund

DENVER, CO – Senate President James Coleman’s, D-Denver, bill to ensure the continued success of organ and tissue donation awareness efforts in Colorado unanimously passed the Senate Health and Human Services committee today.

Cosponsored by Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, SB25-122 would extend the Emily Keyes - John W. Buckner Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund by removing the current sunset clause that would terminate the fund on September 1, 2027. 

"Organ and tissue donation saves lives, and by ensuring the continuation of this successful program, we honor the legacy of John W. Buckner, Emily Keyes, and the many Coloradans who have given the gift of life,” said Coleman. “This fund has been instrumental in raising awareness and educating our communities about the importance of organ and tissue donation since its inception in 2007. I’m proud to champion this effort to ensure it continues."

The fiduciary agent of the fund, Donor Alliance, is the federally designated Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) in Colorado which evaluates, recovers, preserves, and transports organs and tissue for donation. This bill would maintain the critical partnership between Donor Alliance and the Department of Motor Vehicles, continue public education efforts about the life-saving importance of organ and tissue donation, and preserve annual reporting requirements to maintain transparency and accountability.

To recognize late Representative John Buckner’s legacy as an organ and tissue donor, Colorado legislators added his name to the fund when they passed legislation to renew it in 2017. 

SB25-122 now heads to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.