No.+ So. Dakota, MN & portions of Wis. New Law

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South Dakota Enacts Organ and Tissue Donation Legislation

PIERRE, S.D., March 22 -- South Dakota is leading the national movement to adopt the 2006 Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) by becoming an early adopter of the legislation on Friday when Governor Rounds signed the new Act into law. The goal of the legislation is to positively advance organ and tissue donation to help save lives through transplantation. Only three other states -- Idaho, Utah and Virginia -- have adopted the revised Act. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act regulates organ and tissue donation for transplantation in the United States. First written in 1968, the UAGA was adopted by all states; it was then rewritten in 1987 and adopted by 26 states. Key changes in the newly-adopted Act include a new class in the hierarchy of people who can make a donation decision on behalf of a person who made no lifetime decision, encourages coordination between the organ recovery organization and coroners to maximize donation and recognizing donation decisions made in other states. The authors on the bill were Senator Dempster (R, Sioux Falls) and Representative Lust (R,Rapid City). Gunderson, CEO, LifeSource, stated " We are proud that South Dakota is one of the first states to adopt this important legislation. By signing this bill into law South Dakota is continuing its strong commitment to saving lives through donation. " LifeSource is the non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation inSouth Dakota. Nationally, there are more than 95,000 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, including more than 2,500 people in the Upper Midwest. One person can save up to sixty lives through the gifts of organ and tissue donation. Individuals can document their wish to be a donor by checking 'donor' on the driver's license. For more information about donation, visithttp://www.DonateLifeSD.org or call LifeSource at 888.5.DONATE. LifeSource is the non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest. The LifeSource service area covers Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and portions ofwestern Wisconsin. For more information about the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, visithttp://www.anatomicalgiftact.org .

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