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HomeNewsProposed legislation could lower age limit for blood donors

Proposed legislation could lower age limit for blood donors

Representative Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) is sponsoring a bill that will lower the required age for giving blood in a move he hopes will lead to more high school-aged students developing a lifelong habit.

Currently, the law requires that a person must be at least 17 years of age in order to donate blood. House Bill 2934 will lower the age limitation to 16 years of age with written parental consent.

“By lowering the age limitation and allowing 16 year-olds to donate blood during their school blood drives, we can increase our supply and save lives. My hope is that this leads to more people giving blood, and I also hope that if students get into the habit of doing it at a younger age, they will develop a lifelong habit of donating.”

McCormick sits on the board of Blood Assurance in Chattanooga, a non-profit with full service regional blood centers serving 47 health care facilities in 31 counties throughout Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Alabama. The bill has passed both the House and the Senate unanimously, and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

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