Living Donor Protection Act of 2025

Bill Number: S. 1552
Origin Chamber: Senate
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Health
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-03-11: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 352.
Last Updated: 2026-06-18T15:25:23Z

AI-Generated Summary

Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 (S. 1552)

Purpose

The legislation aims to encourage living organ donation by prohibiting certain forms of discrimination against donors and clarifying employment protections, while also requiring updated public education on the topic.

Key Provisions

Insurance protections: Prohibits insurers from denying, canceling, or altering coverage or premiums for life, disability, or long-term care insurance policies solely because a person is a living organ donor, unless based on actual, unique, and material actuarial risks. State insurance regulators handle enforcement.
FMLA clarification: Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and related federal civil service rules to explicitly include organ donation, preparation for and recovery from related surgery, and other donation activities as qualifying "serious health conditions." Federal employees may substitute certain leave types for organ donation leave.
Educational updates: Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor, to review and update materials under existing public health law within six months to inform the public about the new insurance and leave protections.
Definitions: Expands the term "living organ donor" to cover donors of human organs or bone marrow who are not deceased.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Introduces new federal restrictions on insurance practices regarding living donors, building on existing state authority.
Modifies the definition of "serious health condition" in the Family and Medical Leave Act and title 5 of the U.S. Code to encompass organ donation activities.
Updates leave substitution rules for federal employees under organ donor provisions.
Directs revision of educational activities previously established under section 377A of the Public Health Service Act.

Potential Impacts

Citizens: May reduce barriers for individuals considering organ donation by limiting insurance discrimination and ensuring job-protected leave for the process.
Government agencies: Involves the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Labor in updating materials; state insurance regulators gain explicit enforcement roles.
Broader effects: Could increase living organ donations by addressing concerns about post-donation consequences, with no direct provisions affecting international relations.

Main Stakeholders

Living organ donors and potential donors.
Insurance companies and state insurance regulators.
Employers subject to the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Patients awaiting organ transplants.
Federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Labor.

Notable Implications

The bill operates under federal authority in labor and health policy areas while deferring insurance enforcement to states, consistent with the division of regulatory roles.
It may support public health goals related to organ supply without creating new mandates on private parties beyond the stated prohibitions.
No specific constitutional challenges or political provisions are addressed in the text.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

Cosponsors (49)

Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN], Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE], Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH], Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ], Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT], Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR], Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ], Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV], Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT], Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME], Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO], Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA], Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD], Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT], Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI], Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS], Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL], Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL], Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]

Recent Actions

2026-03-11: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 352.
2026-03-11: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
2026-03-11: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
2026-02-26: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
2025-05-01: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
2025-05-01: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-01 — PDF (5 pages)
Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 — issued 2026-03-11 — PDF (10 pages)