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Pennsylvania Organ Donation Law Gets First Major Update

Molly Riley
/
AP

Pennsylvania is finalizing the first major update to the organ donation law that's been in place for a quarter century.

Gov. Tom Wolf's office said Thursday he plans to sign legislation that passed this week. That culminates eight years of work to update the law and resolve conflicts over how donors consent and the effect on criminal investigations.

The bill gets more state agencies involved in raising awareness of organ donation and creates guidelines for the donation of hands, facial tissue, limbs and other body parts that weren't happening when the organ donation law was originally written.

Coroners who deny the donation of all of a person's organs must review the clinical findings of procedures performed at the hospital and provide a written statement explaining the reason for the denial.

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