Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) continues its efforts to improve the quality of life for dialysis patients by advocating for an assembly bill in California that would expand access to organ transplants.
Danny Iniguez, Secretary of DPC’s Board of Directors and a resident of California, expressed the importance of passing Assembly Bill 1223 by highlighting the positive impact on both patients and organ donors and sharing his childhood experience with kidney failure. Starting at age 12 Iniguez was on and off dialysis as a result of a bicycle accident and had to wait over 10 years to receive a kidney transplant.
As part of DPC’s letter of support for AB 1223, Iniguez said:
Existing law requires a private employer to permit an employee to take a leave of absence with pay, not exceeding 30 business days in a one-year period, for the purpose of organ donation. Existing law also requires a public employer to permit a public employee to take a similar paid leave of absence for organ donation, if the employee has exhausted all available sick leave.
AB 1223 would require a private or public employer to grant an employee an additional unpaid leave of absence, not exceeding 30 business days in a one-year period, for the purpose of organ donation.
Read more about Assembly Bill 1223.
In addition to sending a letter of support to the California State Assembly, Iniguez and DPC CEO, Hrant Jamgochian met with 15 members of the Committee on Health to urge support for this constructive legislation.
We will continue to work towards ensuring optimal dialysis care through continual improvement of public policy, but we need your help.
Take Action
Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the US, affecting more than 1 in 10. California has the highest incident of the disease in the United States with 70,000 individuals with end-stage renal disease.
We need your help expanding the access to organ transplants by urging your California lawmakers to support Assembly Bill 1223.
