SB225 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Randy PriceSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Organ transplant recipients, discrimination against persons with disabilities prohibited

Summary

SB225 (Exton's Law) would bar discrimination against people with disabilities in organ transplants and require healthcare providers to offer reasonable accommodations.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, it would prevent health care providers, hospitals, and organ transplant centers from denying an organ transplant or related services solely because of a disability. It requires these covered entities to provide reasonable accommodations and accessible information, including auxiliary aids and supported decision making. It defines who is a 'qualified individual' and allows disability to be considered only if a physician, after an individualized evaluation, finds it medically significant; with adequate support, lack of independent ability to comply could not be used to deny care. It also prohibits denying referrals, wait-list placement, or insurance coverage related to transplantation solely due to disability.

Who It Affects

• Individuals with disabilities who need an organ transplant or anatomical gift, who would be protected from discrimination and entitled to accommodations.
• Health care providers, hospitals, organ transplant centers, and donor–recipient matching entities, who must provide accommodations and avoid discriminatory practices.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in eligibility for anatomical gifts or organ transplants.
• Requires covered entities to provide reasonable modifications and auxiliary aids/services (e.g., interpreters, accessible formats, supported decision making) to facilitate transplant-related care and decision making.
• Defines 'qualified individual' and allows consideration of disability only if a physician, via individualized evaluation, finds it medically significant to the transplant; if the individual has the necessary support, the disability cannot be used to deny post-transplant requirements.
• Prevents denial of referrals to transplant centers, wait-list placement, or lower priority on the waiting list solely due to disability, and prohibits denial of insurance coverage for transplantation-related services for disability reasons.
• Requires policies and practices to be modified to improve access, and requires measures to ensure individuals receive transplant-related counseling, information, and treatment with accommodations unless it would fundamentally alter the service or impose undue burden.
• Establishes that the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Disabled