HOUSE BILL 590

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Elias Barela

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH; ENACTING THE BONE MARROW AND ORGAN DONOR ACT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "Bone Marrow and Organ Donor Act".

     Section 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION.--The department of health shall provide information and educational materials to the public regarding bone marrow donation through the national marrow donor program. The department shall seek assistance from the national marrow donor program to establish a system to distribute materials, ensure that the materials are updated periodically and address the education and recruitment of minority populations.

     Section 3. STATE EMPLOYEE LEAVE.--

          A. The person in charge of a state agency may grant a leave of absence, not to exceed twenty days, to a state agency employee for the purpose of donating an organ or bone marrow. An employee may request and use donated annual leave or sick leave for the purpose of donating an organ or bone marrow. If an employee requests donations of sick leave or annual leave but does not receive the full amount of leave needed for the donation of an organ or bone marrow, the person in charge of a state agency may grant a paid leave of absence for the remainder of the needed leave up to the maximum total of twenty workdays. The person in charge of a state agency may require verification by a physician regarding the purpose of the leave requested and information from the physician regarding the length of the leave requested. Any paid leave of absence granted pursuant to this section shall not result in a loss of compensation, seniority, annual leave, sick leave or accrued overtime for which the employee is otherwise eligible.

          B. For the purposes of this section, "state agency" means any department, institution, board, bureau, commission, district or committee of government of the state of New Mexico.

     Section 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2007.

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