Missouri Guard organ donors would receive paid leave if funded

The Missouri Department of the National Guard would issue orders providing paid leave and daily and housing allowances to approved organ donors. Applicants must be Missouri National Guard members in Troop Program Unit or Individual Ready Reserve status and in good standing with the department. The program would require lawmakers to set aside money, and each approval would require enough funds. Applicants must be ineligible for employer-paid donor leave or choose not to use it. Applicants must identify their donation type and agree to surgery at a facility approved by the American Board for Transplant Certification to provide continuing education for transplant certification. Donors would not have to use saved annual or medical leave. Allowances would depend on rank, home ZIP code, and dependent status. Organs could go to recipients outside Missouri. Paid leave would cover medically necessary testing, surgery, and recovery. Extensions beyond 45 days would require the primary surgery and medical recovery team to find more time medically necessary.

The state treasurer would manage a dedicated MO GIVES Fund to pay benefits under the Missouri National Guard’s MO GIVES donor program. The fund would support benefits for approved Missouri National Guard organ donors. The fund could receive money set aside by lawmakers, gifts, grants, and other contributions from federal, private, or other sources. Spending would require lawmakers’ approval and could pay only program benefits. The state treasurer would invest the money, and investment earnings would stay in the fund. Money remaining at the end of each two-year budget period would stay in the fund.