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- 83rd Session (2025)
Senate Bill No. 349–Senator Pazina
Joint Sponsors: Assemblymembers Dalia, Edgeworth, González,
Gray, Jackson and Nguyen
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to anatomical gifts; authorizing a procurement
organization to transport or arrange for the transportation of
the body or part of a deceased donor under certai n
circumstances; authorizing a coroner to require a
procurement organization to provide notice of such
transportation; and providing other matters properly relating
thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
The Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act establishes the rights of donors and
other persons to affirmatively make anatomical gifts of human bodies and parts for
the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research or education. (NRS 451.500 -
451.598) The Uniform Act also sets forth the rights and duties of orga nizations that
procure anatomical gifts. (NRS 451.579) This bill authorizes a procurement
organization to transport, or arrange for the transportation of, the body or part of a
deceased donor if medical equipment is necessary to ensure the medical suitabil ity
of the body or part. This bill also authorizes a coroner to require a procurement
organization to notify the coroner if the procurement organization provides or
arranges for such transportation within the jurisdiction of the coroner.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 451.579 is hereby amended to read as follows:
451.579 1. When a hospital refers a natural person at or near
death to a procurement organization, the organization shall make a
reasonable search of the records of any donor registry that it knows
exists for the geographical area in which the natural person resides
to ascertain whether the natural person has made an anatomical gift.
2. When a hospital refers a natural person a t or near death to a
procurement organization, the organization may conduct any
reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitability
of a part that is or could be the subject of an anatomical gift for
transplantation, therapy, research or edu cation from a donor or a
prospective donor. During the examination period, measures
necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the part may not be
withdrawn unless the hospital or procurement organization knows
that the natural person expressed a contrary intent.
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3. Unless prohibited by law other than NRS 451.500 to
451.598, inclusive, at any time after a donor’s death, the person to
which a part passes under NRS 451.571 may conduct any
reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitabilit y
of the body or part for its intended purpose.
4. Unless prohibited by law other than NRS 451.500 to
451.598, inclusive, an examination under subsection 2 or 3 may
include an examination of all medical and dental records of the
donor or prospective donor.
5. Upon the death of a minor who was a donor or had signed a
refusal, unless a procurement organization knows the minor is
emancipated, the procurement organization shall conduct a
reasonable search for the parents of the minor and provide the
parents with an opportunity to revoke or amend the anatomical gift
or revoke the refusal.
6. Upon referral by a hospital under subsection 1, a
procurement organization shall make a reasonable search for any
person listed in NRS 451.566 having priority to make a n anatomical
gift on behalf of a prospective donor. If a procurement organization
receives information that an anatomical gift to any other person was
made, amended or revoked, it shall promptly advise the other person
of all relevant information.
7. Subject to subsection 10 of NRS 451.571 and 451.597, the
rights of the person to which a part passes under NRS 451.571 are
superior to the rights of all others with respect to the part. The
person may accept or reject an anatomical gift in whole or in part.
Subject to the terms of the document of gift and NRS 451.500 to
451.598, inclusive, a person that accepts an anatomical gift of an
entire body may allow embalming, burial or cremation, and use of
remains in a funeral service. If the gift is of a part, the p erson to
which the part passes under NRS 451.571, upon the death of the
donor and before embalming, burial or cremation, shall cause the
part to be removed without unnecessary mutilation.
8. Neither the physician who attends the decedent at death nor
the physician who determines the time of the decedent’s death may
participate in the procedures for removing or transplanting a part
from the decedent.
9. A physician or technician may remove a donated part from
the body of a donor that the physician or technician is qualified to
remove.
10. In the absence of an express, contrary indication by the
donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift, if an
anatomical gift of a part has been made for the purpose of
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transplantation or therapy and t he part is medically suitable for that
purpose, the appropriate procurement organization shall discuss
with a person authorized to make an anatomical gift under NRS
451.556 the person’s willingness to make an anatomical gift of any
other part for the purpose of research or education.
11. A procurement organization may transport within this
State, or arrange for the transportation within this State of, the
body or part of a deceased donor if medical equipment is
necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the body or part.
12. A county coroner may require a procurement
organization to notify the coroner, in such manner as the coroner
may prescribe, if the procurement organization transports or
arranges for the transportation of a body or part of a dece ased
donor pursuant to subsection 11 within the jurisdiction of the
coroner.
Sec. 2. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025.
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