Illinois Anatomical Gift

DONATION PURSUANT TO THE UNIFORM ANATOMICAL GIFT ACT (755 ILCS 50/5-20) (was 755 ILCS 50/5) Sec. 5-20. Manner of Executing Anatomical Gifts. (a) A donor may make an anatomical gift: (1) by authorizing a statement or symbol indicating that the donor has made an anatomical gift to be imprinted on the donor's driver's license or identification card; (2) in a will; (3) during a terminal illness or injury of the donor, by any form of communication addressed to at least 2 adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness; or (4) as provided in subsection (b) of this Section. (b) A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under subsection (a) of Section 5-5 may make a gift by a donor card or other record signed by the donor or other person making the gift or by authorizing that a statement or symbol indicating that the donor has made an anatomical gift be included on a donor registry. If the donor or other person is physically unable to sign a record, the record may be signed by another individual at the direction of the donor or other person and must: (1) be witnessed by at least 2 adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, who have signed at the request of the donor or the other person; and (2) state that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection (b). (b-1) A gift under Section 5-5 (a) may also be made by an individual consenting to have his or her name included in the First Person Consent organ and tissue donor registry maintained by the Secretary of State under Section 6-117 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. An individual's consent to have his or her name included in the First Person Consent organ and tissue donor registry constitutes full legal authority for the donation of any of his or her organs or tissue for purposes of transplantation, therapy, or research. Consenting to be included in the First Person Consent organ and tissue donor registry is effective without regard to the presence or signature of witnesses. (b-5) Revocation, suspension, expiration, or cancellation of a driver's license or identification card upon which an anatomical gift is indicated does not invalidate the gift. (b-10) An anatomical gift made by will takes effect upon the donor's death whether or not the will is probated. Invalidation of the will after the donor's death does not invalidate the gift. (c) The anatomical gift may be made to a specified donee or without specifying a donee. If the gift is made to a specified donee who is not available at the time and place of death, then if made for the purpose of transplantation, it shall be effectuated in accordance with Section 5-25. (d) The donee or other person authorized to accept the gift pursuant to Section 5-12 may employ or authorize any qualified technician, surgeon, or physician to perform the recovery. (e) A person authorized to make an anatomical gift under subsection (b) of Section 5-5 may make an anatomical gift by a document of gift signed by the person making the gift or by that person's oral communication that is electronically recorded or is contemporaneously reduced to a record and signed by the individual receiving the oral communication. (e-5) An anatomical gift by a person authorized under subsection (b) of Section 5-5 may be amended or revoked orally or in a record by a member of a prior class who is reasonably available for the giving of authorization or refusal. If more than one member of the prior class is reasonably available for the giving of authorization or refusal, the gift made by a person authorized under subsection (b) of Section 5-5 may be: (1) amended only if a majority of the class members reasonably available for the giving of authorization or refusal agree to the amending of the gift; or (2) revoked only if a majority of the class members reasonably available for the giving of authorization or refusal agree to the revoking of the gift or if they are equally divided as to whether to revoke the gift. (e-10) A revocation under subsection (e-5) is effective only if, before an incision has been made to remove a part from the donor's body or before invasive procedures have been commenced to prepare the recipient, the procurement organization, non-transplant anatomic bank, transplant hospital, or physician or technician knows of the revocation. (f) When there is a suitable candidate for organ donation and a donation or consent to donate has not yet been given, procedures to preserve the decedent's body for possible organ and tissue donation may be implemented under the authorization of the applicable organ procurement organization, at its own expense, prior to making a donation request pursuant to Section 5-25. If the organ procurement organization does not locate a person authorized to consent to donation or consent to donation is denied, then procedures to preserve the decedent's body shall be ceased and no donation shall be made. The organ procurement organization shall respect the religious tenets of the decedent, if known, such as a pause after death, before initiating preservation services. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize interference with the coroner in carrying out an investigation or autopsy.

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