2020 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 15 - Probate, Trusts, And Fiduciaries
Article 19. Treatment of Human Bodies After Death
Section 15-19-214. Rights and duties of procurement organization and others.
(a) When a hospital refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization shall make a reasonable search of the records of the department of revenue and any donor registry that it knows exists for the geographical area in which the individual resides to ascertain whether the individual has made an anatomical gift.
(b) A procurement organization must be allowed reasonable access to information in the records of the department of revenue to ascertain whether an individual at or near death is a donor. (c) When a hospital refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitability of a part that is or could be the subject of an anatomical gift for transplantation, therapy, research, or education from a donor or a prospective donor. During the examination period, measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the part may not be withdrawn unless the hospital or procurement organization knows that the individual expressed a contrary intent.
Unless prohibited by law other than this part 2, at any time after a donor's death, the personto which a part passes under section 15-19-211 may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the body or part for its intended purpose.
Unless prohibited by law other than this part 2, an examination under subsection (c) or (d) ofthis section may include an examination of all medical and dental records of the donor or prospective donor.
Upon the death of a minor who was a donor or had signed a refusal, unless a procurementorganization knows the minor is emancipated, the procurement organization shall conduct a reasonable search for the parents of the minor and provide the parents with an opportunity to revoke or amend the anatomical gift or revoke the refusal.
Upon referral by a hospital under subsection (a) of this section, a procurement organizationshall make a reasonable search for any person listed in section 15-19-209 having priority to make an anatomical gift on behalf of a prospective donor. If a procurement organization receives information that an anatomical gift to any other person was made, amended, or revoked, it shall promptly advise the other person of all relevant information.
Subject to sections 15-19-211 (i) and 15-19-223, the rights of the person to which a partpasses under section 15-19-211 are superior to the rights of all others with respect to the part. The person may accept or reject an anatomical gift in whole or in part. Subject to the terms of the document of gift and this part 2, a person that accepts an anatomical gift of an entire body may allow embalming, burial or cremation, and use of remains in a funeral service. If the gift is of a part, the person to which the part passes under section 15-19-211, upon the death of the donor and before embalming, burial, or cremation, shall cause the part to be removed without unnecessary mutilation.
Neither the physician who attends the decedent at death nor the physician who determinesthe time of the decedent's death may participate in the procedures for removing or transplanting a part from the decedent.
A physician or technician may remove a donated part from the body of a donor that thephysician or technician is qualified to remove.
Source: L. 2017: Entire part added with relocations, (SB 17-223), ch. 158, p. 548 , § 1, effective August 9.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-34-114 as it existed prior to 2017.
