Organ Donation Amendments, the official text

Organ Donation Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Doug Owens
Senate Sponsor: Calvin R. Musselman

LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill addresses public awareness of organ donation and opportunities for individuals to register as organ donors.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill: requires or encourages information about the option and process to register as an organ donor, to be provided in connection with or in certain circumstances related to: the Division of Wildlife Resources' website;
a health care facility; and
individual income tax instructions booklets and the State Tax Commission's website;

requires the Department of Health and Human Services to convene a coalition of life-saving programs and create a comprehensive plan for communicating about those programs through state-owned channels; and
make technical and conforming changes.

Money Appropriated in this Bill: None Other Special Clauses: None Utah Code Sections Affected: AMENDS:
59-10-103.1, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 344

ENACTS:
23A-1-207, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26B-1-436, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26B-2-244, Utah Code Annotated 1953

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 23A-1-207 is enacted to read:
23A-1-207. Organ donation.
(1) As used in this section: (a) "Donor" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-8-301.
(b) "Donor registry" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-8-301.

(2) On the division's website, the division shall provide: (a) information about the option to register as a donor; and
(b) a link to a website for a donor registry where an individual can register as a donor.

(3) The requirements in Subsection (2) do not apply if the division provides information on the division's website in connection with a comprehensive plan described in Section 26B-1-436.

Section 2. Section 26B-1-436 is enacted to read:
26B-1-436. Life-saving programs, coalition, and plan.
(1) As used in this section: (a) "Comprehensive plan" means a comprehensive plan described in Subsection (3).
(b) "Director" means an executive director, director, commissioner, general manager, or other similar position that has ultimate responsibility for the operation of a state entity.
(c) "Life-saving program" means a program or initiative intended to prevent the imminent loss of human life through: (i) emergency response awareness;
(ii) medical or public safety education; or
(iii) providing time-sensitive safety information to the public.

(d) "State publication channel" means a website or publication of a state entity that: (i) the public accesses, uses, or interacts with in significant volume; and
(ii) is approved for use in connection with a comprehensive plan by the director, or the director's designee, of the state entity that controls the website or publication.

(2) To maximize the opportunity to save lives in the state, the department shall convene a coalition of state-funded and state-sponsored life-saving programs.
(3) The department shall create a comprehensive plan, including best practices and principles, for utilizing state publication channels to communicate information about life-saving programs to the public.
(4) The comprehensive plan may include a schedule coordinating when each life-saving program is promoted through state publication channels, which may also coordinate with promotional periods or commemorative periods declared by the governor, and may address the allocation of costs.

Section 3. Section 26B-2-244 is enacted to read:
26B-2-244. Organ donation.
(1) As used in this section: (a) "Donor" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-8-301.
(b) "Donor registry" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-8-301.

(2) A health care facility licensed under this part shall provide information to a patient about how to access a donor registry established under Section 26B-8-319 prior to discharge.

Section 4. Section 59-10-103.1 is amended to read:
59-10-103.1. Information to be contained on individual income tax returns or booklets.
(1) The commission shall print the phrase "all state income tax dollars support education, children, and individuals with disabilities" on: (a) the first page of an individual income tax return; and
(b) the cover page of an individual income tax forms and instructions booklet.

(2) The commission shall include on an individual income tax return a statement for a property owner to declare that the property owner no longer qualifies to receive a residential exemption authorized under Section 59-2-103 for that property owner's primary residence.
(3) (a) The commission shall include in each instruction booklet information about the option to register as a donor, as that term is defined in Section 26B-8-301, and instructions for accessing a donor registry established under Section 26B-8-319.
(b) The commission shall include on the commission's website information about the option to register as a donor, as that term is defined in Section 26B-8-301, and a link to a website for a donor registry established under Section 26B-8-319.
(c) The requirements in Subsections (3)(a) and (b) do not apply if the commission provides information in each instruction booklet and on the commission's website in connection with a comprehensive plan described in Section 26B-1-436.

Section 5. Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.

3-2-26 9:19 AM