WHEREAS, one of the most meaningful gifts that a human being can bestow upon another is the gift of life. In the last 30 years, Donate Life America and the Donate Life Community have registered 170 million organ, eye, and tissue donors in the United States; and

WHEREAS, over 103,000 men, women, and children are currently on the national waiting list for organ transplantation, of which nearly 741 reside in Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, 645 transplantations occurred in the calendar year 2023 thanks to the generosity of 21,201 deceased and living donors, of which 553 transplant patients and 268 deceased and living donors were from Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, more than 2.5 million people throughout the country, including Oklahoma, benefit annually from tissue transplantation thanks to thousands of tissue donors; and

WHEREAS, the need for organ, eye, and tissue donation remains critical as one new patient is added to the national waiting list for an organ transplant every 10 minutes and each day roughly 20 people die due to the lack of available organs; and

WHEREAS, about 1,956,000 Oklahomans have already registered their decision to give the gift of life through organ and tissue donation on their driver license; and

WHEREAS, LifeShare of Oklahoma, the nonprofit organ procurement organization, which is dedicated to the recovery of organs and tissue for transplantation therapy in Oklahoma, with a mission to honor donors and save lives through organ and tissue donation; and

WHEREAS, in 2003, the first National Donate Life Month campaign was launched. National Donate Life Month takes place in April and features an entire month of activities to help encourage Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and to honor those that have saved lives through the gift of donation.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 59TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives supports the recognition of the month of April 2024 as National Donate Life Month and encourage all residents to consider giving life through organ donation and to sign up on Oklahoma's organ and tissue donor registry by visiting www.lifeshareoklahoma.org or when renewing their driver license.