FRANKFORT, Ky. – House Bill 510, the Organ Donation Pause in Procedure Act, sponsored by Rep. Jason Nemes (R–33) and 4 co-sponsors, passed with a unanimous vote and was reported favorably by the Kentucky House Committee on Health Services this Thursday. The bill will now advance to the full House for consideration.

HB 510 establishes clear procedural safeguards to protect patients during the organ procurement process. The legislation requires an immediate pause in organ recovery procedures if there is a change in neurological status, any indication of possible life, or uncertainty regarding a death determination. Before procurement may resume, the patient must be independently reassessed by hospital physicians who are not affiliated with an organ procurement organization.

“House Bill 510 is necessary because organ donation is necessary. By strengthening safeguards and reaffirming that death must be clearly and properly determined, this legislation protects both the integrity of the process and the dignity of every human life. Trust in the system ensures that individuals can continue offering the gift of life through organ donation said Addia Wuchner, Executive Director of Kentucky Right to Life.

The bill allows hospital staff, surgical team members, OPO personnel, family members, or any person present to call for a pause in the procedure without fear of retaliation. All pauses must be documented in the medical record, and safety-related pauses must be reported to appropriate state and federal authorities as outlined in the legislation.

“We don’t want to discourage organ donation. What we’re doing here is making sure that protocols are in place so that everyone feels comfortable when they go through the process,” shared the bill’s sponsor, Representative Jason Nemes (R—30).

House Bill 510 adds a targeted procedural safeguard to ensure that, in cases of uncertainty, clinical reassessment occurs before organ procurement proceeds. Kentucky Right to Life applauds Representative Jason Nemes (R–33), the bill’s sponsors, and the Kentucky House for swift passage of the bill.

“We believe every life is a gift. One of the most profound final gifts an individual or grieving family can make is the gift of life and organ donation. The gift of sight, the gift of a heartbeat, the gift of breath, the gift of life itself,” shared Addia Wuchner, Executive Director of Kentucky Right to Life.