Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) is proud to announce his bill, A.5122A, co-sponsored with Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, has been signed into law, a major step toward expanding the donor registry and giving patients a greater chance at survival.

The law allows New Yorkers applying for or renewing their driver’s licenses or non-driver IDs to enroll in the national bone marrow donor program or opt in to receive information from the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Marrow Donor Program, which connect volunteer donors to patients in need.

“Bone marrow transplants are often the only treatment option for individuals battling blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, but finding a compatible donor is statistically unlikely due to limited diversity in the donor pool,” said Ra. “This law makes it easy for New Yorkers to learn about the registry and consider becoming a donor, which will save lives. This is a simple change that will make a huge difference, and I’d like to thank Assemblywoman Solages and Senator Jeremy Cooney for their partnership in passing this legislation.”

“More than 1.6 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from blood cancers, and nearly 70% of those in need of a transplant do not have a fully matched donor within their family. Expanding the registry improves the odds of finding a match, it’s as simple as that,” Ra continued. “Having seen firsthand how a bone marrow transplant saved my mother’s life and gave our family more time with her, I feel a deep responsibility to encourage others to join.”