A person may execute a statement of gift to become an eye, tissue, or organ donor, and the department must offer donor-registration options and related information during driver-license and ID processing.
Sec. 521.401. STATEMENT OF GIFT. (a) A person who wishes to be an eye, tissue, or organ donor may execute a statement of gift. (b) The statement of gift may be shown on a donor's driver's license or personal identification certificate or by a card designed to be carried by the donor to evidence the donor's intentions with respect to organ, tissue, and eye donation. A donor card signed by the donor shall be given effect as if executed pursuant to Section 692A.005, Health and Safety Code. (c) Donor registry information shall be provided to the department and the Texas Department of Transportation by organ procurement organizations, tissue banks, or eye banks, as those terms are defined in Section 692A.002, Health and Safety Code, or by the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry operated under Chapter 692A, Health and Safety Code. The department, with expert input and support from the nonprofit organization administering the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry, shall: (1) provide to each applicant for the issuance of an original, renewal, corrected, or duplicate driver's license or personal identification certificate who applies in person, by mail, over the Internet, or by other electronic means: (A) the opportunity to indicate on the person's driver's license or personal identification certificate that the person is willing to make an anatomical gift, in the event of death, in accordance with Section 692A.005, Health and Safety Code; and (B) an opportunity for the person to consent to inclusion in the statewide Internet-based registry of organ, tissue, and eye donors and release to procurement organizations in the manner provided by Subsection (c-1); and (2) provide a means to distribute donor registry information to interested individuals in each office authorized to issue driver's licenses or personal identification certificates. (c-1) The department shall: (1) specifically ask each applicant only the question, "Would you like to register as an organ donor?"; and (2) if the applicant responds affirmatively to the question asked under Subdivision (1), provide the person's name, date of birth, driver's license number, most recent address, and other information needed for identification purposes at the time of donation to the nonprofit organization contracted to maintain the statewide donor registry under Section 692A.020, Health and Safety Code, for inclusion in the registry. (d) An affirmative statement of gift on a person's driver's license or personal identification certificate executed after August 31, 2005, shall be conclusive evidence of a decedent's status as a donor and serve as consent for organ, tissue, and eye removal. (e) The department shall distribute at all field offices Donate Life brochures that provide basic donation information in English and Spanish and include a contact phone number and e-mail address. The department shall include the question required under Subsection (c)(1)(B) and information on the donor registry Internet website in renewal notices. Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 225, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1186 (H.B. 120), Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2005. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 186 (H.B. 2027), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 831 (S.B. 1803), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 554 (H.B. 2904), Sec. 5, eff. January 1, 2012.