What a great story:Blood donation bill signed into law
State Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL – Mankato, and Rep. Patti Fritz, DFL – Faribault, joined Gov. Tim Pawlenty today as he signed into law new legislation that will allow 16 year olds in the state to donate blood with the consent of their parent or guardian.
The inspiration for the legislation came from Joe Gibson, a 16-year-old high school student from Blooming Prairie. Joe became involved in the issue after losing his grandfather to leukemia and subsequently trying to donate blood as a way to memorialize his grandfather’s passing. Joe – who was 15 at the time – was prevented from making a blood donation by a state law which restricts anyone under the age of 17 from doing so, even with parental consent.
In an effort to rectify this issue in state law, Joe met with Rep. Fritz to suggest that the minimum age for donation be reduced to 15 years. After Rep. Fritz heard concerns from some pediatricians that 15 might be too young, Joe – showing a keen ability to navigate the political process - agreed to raise the allowable age of donation to 16 in his proposal. Rep. Fritz then teamed with Sen. Sheran to shepherd companion bills through the House and Senate, eventually passing the bills unanimously through both bodies.
Under the new law, 16 year olds will now be able to donate blood, as long as the teen has the written permission of their parent or guardian and does not receive any compensation for the donation. The law will go into effect July 1, 2008.
“Through this process, I have learned that youth can make a difference,” Joe Gibson said. “I have also realized that there are really good people here at the Capitol and that our legislators are working really hard.”
The bill’s authors commended Joe’s efforts in support of the legislation, which Rep. Fritz described as “instrumental” to its passage.
“This bill is about how we listen to our constituents, young and old," said Rep. Fritz. “Joe Gibson is a thoughtful young man who not only wanted to help out his grandfather, but also saw the opportunity for other young adults to become eligible donors and help out blood centers. It is especially gratifying that it moved through both bodies and was signed into law so quickly."
Sen. Sheran added that she hoped Joe’s efforts would inspire more young people to engage in the political process.
“It was an absolute honor to work with Joe, who brought an incredible level of compassion, commitment and enthusiasm to this important issue,” said Sen. Sheran. “Allowing young adults to donate blood with their parent’s consent will help blood centers and emergency management organizations meet the current demand for lifesaving blood products and will foster a commitment to community service among high school students across the state. Joe’s hard work has truly made Minnesota a better place to live.”
The proposal received support from several organizations, including the American Red Cross, Memorial Blood Centers of Minnesota, and the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center. Several states, including California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico already have passed similar legislation.
No word yet on whether Governor Pawlenty will lose his leadership position for allowing DFL sponsored legislation to pass. Marty Seifert was unavailable for comment but word on the street is that he condemned Governor Pawlenty for not following "Republican Principles".
