A new state law in New York will allow close friends to authorize organ, eye or tissue donations on behalf of deceased individuals with no available next of kin.
The legislation, which Gov. Kathy Hochul signed on Monday, was authored by Assemblymember Amy Paulin, a Westchester Democrat. The law's supporters say it aligns New York’s rules around organ donations with most of the rest of the country.
“This legislation is about ensuring that no opportunity to save a life is lost simply because the person who knew the decedent best wasn’t legally recognized,” Paulin said in a statement. “Close friends often serve as caregivers, decision-makers and are the people who know an individual’s values more than anyone else.”
A legislative memorandum states that until now, New York was only one of seven states that did not allow close friends to authorize donations. State law already authorizes close friends to make important health decisions on behalf of patients while they are living.
More than 8,000 New York state residents are currently waiting for an organ transplant, according to federal data. So far this year, 3,000 organ transplants have been completed in the state. The data shows Black and Latino New Yorkers have a disproportionately lower rate of transplants compared to white patients.
The new law arrives at a time of upheaval and controversy in the field of organ transplantation. The U.S. House of Representative’s Ways and Means Committee last week released a letter warning New Jersey’s organ procurement organization that it could be shut down based on findings from a federal investigation.
