(a) There is established an advisory council on organ and tissue donation education and awareness. The advisory council shall consist of the following members: The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, or the commissioner's designee; the Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee; the executive director of Donate Life Connecticut, or the executive director's designee; a representative of each of the organizations in the state that are members of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations; a health care professional representing each transplant center located in the state that is a member of the federal Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network; the chief executive officer of the Connecticut Hospital Association, or the chief executive officer's designee; five persons experienced in issues involving organ and tissue donation or transplants, one of whom shall be a recipient of a donated organ or donated tissue, one of whom shall be a living donor, and one of whom shall be a family member of a deceased donor. One each of such persons experienced in issues involving organ and tissue donation or transplants shall be appointed by the Governor, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, jointly by the majority leader of the House of Representatives and the majority leader of the Senate, and jointly by the minority leader of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the Senate.

(b) Appointed council members shall serve for a term of three years and no such member shall serve more than two consecutive terms. Any vacancy of an appointed council member shall be filled by the appointing authority. The Governor shall appoint the chairperson from among the members of the council. The council shall have its first meeting not later than December 1, 2012, and shall meet not less than four times per year and as requested by the chairperson or upon the request of a majority of the members of the council. Council members shall serve without compensation.

(c) The council shall: (1) Analyze education on organ tissue donation in the state; (2) determine the rate of organ and tissue donation registration in the state and establish periodic goals for increasing such rate; and (3) advise the Commissioners of Public Health and Motor Vehicles on methods to increase organ and tissue donation rates in the state. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall, on a quarterly basis, provide the council with data concerning registered organ donors.

(d) Not later than July 1, 2013, and annually thereafter, the council shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and transportation concerning organ and tissue donation awareness in the state. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, actions taken by the council to increase organ and tissue donations and recommendations to increase organ and tissue donation rates in the state.

(P.A. 12-197, S. 44.)