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District of Columbia Anatomical Gift Law

Uniform Anatomical Gift – General – District of Columbia

7-1531.03 Who may make anatomical gift before donor’s death.

An anatomical gift of a donor’s body or part may be made during the life of the donor for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education in the manner provided in § 7-1531.04 by:

(1) The donor, if the donor is an adult or if the donor is a minor and is:

(A) Emancipated; or

(B) Authorized under state law to apply for a driver’s license because the donor is at least 16 years of age;

(2) An agent of the donor, unless the power of attorney for health care or other record prohibits the agent from making an anatomical gift;

(3) A parent of the donor, if the donor is an unemancipated minor; or

(4) The donor’s guardian.

§ 7–1531.04. Manner of making anatomical gift before donor’s death.

A donor may make an anatomical gift:

(1) By authorizing a statement or symbol indicating that the donor has made an anatomical gift to be imprinted on the donor’s driver’s license or identification card;

(2) In a will;

(3) During a terminal illness or injury of the donor, by any form of communication addressed to at least 2 adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness; or

(4) As provided in subsection (b) of this section.

A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under § 7-1531.03 may make a gift by a donor card or other record signed by the donor or other person making the gift or by authorizing that a statement or symbol indicating that the donor has made an anatomical gift be included on a donor registry. If the donor or other person is physically unable to sign a record, the record may be signed by another individual at the direction of the donor or other person and shall:

(1) Be witnessed by at least 2 adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, who have signed at the request of the donor or the other person; and

(2) State that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

Revocation, suspension, expiration, or cancellation of a driver’s license or identification card upon which an anatomical gift is indicated does not invalidate the gift.

An anatomical gift made by will takes effect upon the donor’s death whether or not the will is probated. Invalidation of the will after the donor’s death does not invalidate the gift.

§ 7–1531.05. Amending or revoking anatomical gift before donor’s death.

A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under § 7-1531.03 may amend or revoke an anatomical gift by:

(1) A record signed by:

(A) The donor;

(B) The other person; or

Subject to subsection (b) of this section, another individual acting at the direction of the donor or the other person if the donor or other person is physically unable to sign; or a later-executed document of gift, including a driver’s license or identification card, that amends or revokes a previous anatomical gift or portion of an anatomical gift, either expressly or by inconsistency.

A record signed pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section shall:

(1) Be witnessed by at least 2 adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, who have signed at the request of the donor or the other person; and

(2) State that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under § 7-1531.03 may revoke an anatomical gift by the destruction or cancellation of the document of gift, or the portion of the document of gift used to make the gift, with the intent to revoke the gift.

A donor may amend or revoke an anatomical gift that was not made in a will by any form of communication during a terminal illness or injury addressed to at least 2 adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness.

A donor who makes an anatomical gift in a will may amend or revoke the gift in the manner provided for amendment or revocation of wills or as provided in subsection (a) of this section.

§ 7–1531.06. Refusal to make anatomical gift; effect of refusal.

(a) An individual may refuse to make an anatomical gift of the individual’s body or part by:

(1) A record signed by:

(A) The individual; or

(B) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, another individual acting at the direction of the individual if the individual is physically unable to sign;

§ 7–1531.08. Who may make anatomical gift of decedent’s body or part.

An anatomical gift of a decedent’s body or part for purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education may be made by any member of the following classes of persons who is reasonably available, in the order of priority listed:

(1) An agent of the decedent at the time of death who could have made an anatomical gift under § 7-1531.03(2) immediately before the decedent’s death;

(2) The spouse or domestic partner of the decedent;

(3) Adult children of the decedent;

(4) (A) Parents of the decedent; or

(B) If, at the time of death, there was a guardian of the decedent under a guardianship order under § 16-2389, the guardian, unless the order specifies otherwise;

(5) Adult siblings of the decedent;

(6) Adult grandchildren of the decedent;

(7) Grandparents of the decedent;

(8) An adult who exhibited special care and concern for the decedent;

(9) The persons who were acting as the guardians of the person of the decedent at the time of death; and

(10) Any other person having the authority to dispose of the decedent’s body.

If there is more than one member of a class listed in subsection (a)(1), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), or (9) of this section entitled to make an anatomical gift, an anatomical gift may be made by a member of the class unless that member or a person to which the gift may pass under § 7-1531.10 knows of an objection by another member of the class. If an objection is known, the gift may be made only by a majority of the members of the class who are reasonably available.

A person may not make an anatomical gift if, at the time of the decedent’s death, a person in a prior class under subsection (a) of this section is reasonably available to make or to object to the making of an anatomical gift.

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Inside District of Columbia Anatomical Gift Law