Bill
S 2116
Ensures organ donor status on NJ licenses carries over through renewals unless the holder removes it via a MVC-prescribed change-of-status with OPOs.
Status: Reported favorably with committee amendments by the Senate Transportation Committee (3/17/2025); referred to Transportation. Prefiled in the 2024–2025 legislative session. Effective date: first day of the seventh month after enactment (agency may act earlier administratively).
Purpose
- To clarify and modify how organ donor designations are handled on New Jersey motor vehicle credentials (driver’s licenses, identification cards, motorized bicycle licenses), so that donor status persists across renewals unless the individual affirmatively changes it.
Key provisions
- Amends section 1 of P.L.1978, c.181 (C.39:3-12.2).
- Opportunity to designate: The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) must provide the opportunity to designate as an organ & tissue donor only to applicants who have not previously designated as donors pursuant to State law (i.e., not required to re-offer designation to someone already designated on their credential).
- Persistent designation on renewal: If a person’s current motor vehicle credential displays an organ donor designation, that designation will remain in effect when the credential is renewed unless the person removes it.
- Change-of-status procedure: Removal of the donor designation must be done through a change-of-status procedure prescribed by the Chief Administrator in consultation with federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs) that serve in New Jersey. The committee deleted a prior provision that would have required offering an explicit removal option with every renewal application.
- Retained/related administrative requirements (existing law): The bill continues the MVC’s responsibilities to display the designation conspicuously on credentials and to electronically record and store donor designations, provide real-time electronic access to designated OPOs for verification, and to establish employee education programs. OPOs may contract for system implementation but are not required to incur aggregate costs exceeding $50,000 for that purpose.
Who is affected
- New Jersey residents applying for or renewing driver’s licenses, identification cards, motorized bicycle licenses.
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (administration, recordkeeping, and procedures).
- Federally designated organ procurement organizations serving New Jersey (real-time access and consultation requirements).
Procedural/timeline notes
- Reported with committee amendments 3/17/2025. Takes effect on the first day of the seventh month after enactment; MVC may implement administrative steps before that date.
- The bill clarifies retention of donor status across renewals and centralizes removal via a prescribed change-of-status procedure rather than repeated renewal-stage prompts.
Potential impacts
- Likely increases continuity of donor registration by preserving prior affirmative donor designations at renewal unless the registrant takes action to remove it.
- Necessitates MVC rulemaking or administrative procedures (in consultation with OPOs) to implement the change-of-status mechanism and continued electronic data-sharing.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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