Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 6, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke Signs Organ Donor Legislation

SEATTLE – May 6, 2003 – Gov. Gary Locke today signed into law organ donor legislation that creates a new state organ and tissue donor registry.

Joining the governor at the bill signing at Safeco Field were the prime sponsors of the legislation, Sen. Betti Sheldon, D-Bremerton, and Rep. Brian Sullivan, D-Mukilteo. Also in attendance was Karen Moyer, wife of Seattle Mariner pitcher Jamie Moyer and co-founder of the Moyer Foundation.

“Organ donation is an effective way to save or prolong the life of many of our citizens,” Locke said. “The creation of this registry will help shorten the critical period between matching donors and those in need of transplants.”

As part of the ceremony, Locke accompanied organ donor recipient Donald Horne of Olympia to the pitcher’s mound to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the Mariners game against the New York Yankees. Horne, 12, received a kidney transplant last February.

Supplemental Senate Bill 5509 will create a new organ and tissue donor registry for Washington state. The registry will be comprised of individuals who indicate organ donation on their driver’s license. The state’s Department of Licensing will maintain the registry. Currently, more than 1,200 of people await transplants at Washington state transplant centers.

Locke regularly donates blood and is on an organ donor registry. Last year, the governor also signed an executive order allowing employees of all state executive agencies to take paid leave for life-giving procedures, including donation of blood, organs, bone marrow and body tissues.

More than 80,000 people are currently waiting for life-saving organ transplants on the national transplant waiting list. Nationally, 17 people die each day as a result of the shortage of donated organs.

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