Permits a close friend to make an anatomical gift of a decedent's body

Close friends gain body donation authority

Beginning January 1 of the year after enactment, qualifying close friends can authorize donation of a deceased person's body. A close friend must meet the definition in Public Health Law § 2994-a(4). Voting rules apply to close friends and certain other eligible groups when multiple members are reasonably available. One member can authorize the gift unless that member or another member knows someone in the same group objects. If an objection is known, more than half of the reasonably available group members must agree. Changing or canceling a gift also requires majority agreement when multiple group members are reasonably available. The Commissioner of Health can take steps to implement the law before its effective date.