Governor signs legislation promoting organ donation:
Bill establishes new partnership with Motor Vehicles Commission

Senator Richard Codey (center) pictured with NJ Sharing Network's President and CEO, Joseph Roth (left) and President and CEO of Gift of Life, Howard Nathan (right)

April 2007, Trenton NJ - Governor Jon Corzine today signed S-1760, sponsored by Assemblyman Herb Conaway, M.D,
(D-Burlington/Camden) which requires the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to share donor information with New Jersey's two federally approved organ donation agencies: New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network (NJ Sharing Network) and the Gift of Life Donor Program.

"This is an accomplishment of enormous proportion and we applaud the governor and Assemblyman Conaway for their leadership," said Joseph Roth, President and Chief Executive Officer of NJ Sharing Network. "The donation and transplant community continues to experience an extreme shortage in the number of available organs and tissues for transplantation. Having access to the up-to-date list of those who have agreed to be donors via their driver’s licenses will help us close the gap and save lives."

Howard Nathan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gift of Life Donor Program noted that the legislation also requires an annual education program for MVC employees on the benefits of organ and tissue donation and how they can better inform members of the public about donation. "We are excited about this new partnership and look forward to working together on developing tools that will help the MVC encourage New Jerseyans to say yes to donation."

As of December 2006, 1.26 million New Jersey residents have the "organ donor" designation on their license. "Our goal is to increase that number to 2.45 million by the end of 2007," said Roth. "I am confident that this new law will help us reach that goal."

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