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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	Beam		DATE TYPED:	2/04/03		HB	152
SHORT TITLE:		Blood Donation by Minors				SB
					ANALYST:		Maloy

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
			NFI

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

Department of Health

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 152 would allow minors who are at least seventeen years old to donate blood without parental consent. However, in doing so, a minor could not receive monetary payment for the blood donation.

Significant Issues

1. In general, parental consent is required in New Mexico when minors seek medical services. Although donating blood is not a medical service, it has been the practice that parental consent is sought.

2. With enactment of HB152, a teenager would be permitted to donate blood only one year earlier (at the age of seventeen) without parental consent. Under current law, at the age of eighteen, parental consent is not required.

3. Failure to obtain parental consent may become an issue in instances of adverse reactions. In such instances, the minor and parent may find they have limited legal recourse.

4. Health conditions of teenage females, who often are anemic, are of concern.

5. It is important that the incentive to donating too many times for money has been removed, thus removing a separate health concern.

6. There are positive social/emotional outcomes for youth who donate blood.

SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

There is concern for teenage females who are often anemic and not good candidates for blood donation. Testing for this condition would be important at the donation site, and referral for treatment of the condition would be important.

By lowering the age, seniors in high school, who generally range from ages 17-19, could participate in a blood drive specifically situated at the school, thereby increasing much needed blood donations.

SJM/sb;yr:prr