House Overrides Governor’s Veto of Measure to Protect Living Organ Donors

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 13 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release:

The Maine House voted Thursday to override the governor's veto of a measure from Rep. Catherine Nadeau, D-Winslow, to protect living organ donors from discrimination. The vote was 146-0.

"Living donors should not face discrimination or unnecessary hardships because they have helped someone in need, but this is unfortunately not the reality some living donors face," said Nadeau. "They have made the selfless decision to save the life of a family member, friend or even a stranger. There is no reason any living donor should be turned away or charged more for insurance."

Nadeau's bill protects living organ donors by prohibiting insurance companies from denying them coverage or increasing their premiums for life insurance, disability insurance and long-term care insurance. Living organ donors are individuals who donate an organ - a kidney, lobe of a lung or a portion of the liver, pancreas or intestine - to an individual in need.

Nadeau, a trained surgical technologist who has worked with the New England Organ Bank, told the Legislature's Insurance and Financial Services Committee at a hearing last month that living donation does not affect life expectancy or increase the risk of kidney failure according to information from the National Kidney Foundation.

Living donors are responsible for roughly one-fifth of organ transplants, a number that is critically important to bridging the gap between the number of patients in need of a life-saving transplant and the number of available organs. National data shows an average of 22 people die each day while waiting for a transplant.

The measure, LD 12, earned unanimous support in the Insurance and Financial Services Committee and passed in both the House and Senate "under the hammer," or by unanimous consent. It now goes to the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required to override the veto.

Nadeau is serving her third term in the Maine House. She represents Winslow and part of Benton. She is a member of both the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee.