Powers of department

The department is empowered to approve or disapprove the establishment of an eye bank by any group desiring to establish one in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the department; to exercise such control, inspection, and supervision of established eye banks as the department determines to be proper; and to terminate, for good cause, its approval of the maintenance and operation of an eye bank. 832 31-23-7 History. — Ga. L. 1961, p. 582, § 7; Code 1933, § 88-2007, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1. 31-23-5. Persons authorized to extract eyes; compensation therefor; liability of persons operating eye banks or having custody or control of donor’s body. (a) Upon the death of any donor, the persons holding a donor’s unrevoked instrument of donation and maintaining and operating the donee eye bank may authorize any physician, or any embalmer licensed under Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 43, as now or hereafter amended, who has completed a course of training in eye extraction approved by the department, or any technician trained by and authorized by the eye bank to extract and remove the donated eyes or parts thereof for the eye bank in accordance with sound medical practices. (b) The person or persons extracting and removing the donated eyes or parts thereof shall receive no compensation for such services other than that established, approved, and paid by the persons maintaining and operating the eye bank. (c) Neither persons maintaining and operating eye banks, nor their agents, nor persons having custody or control of a deceased donor’s body shall be liable criminally or civilly to any person or any person’s estate for the removal of eyes or parts thereof donated and removed in accordance with this chapter. History. — Ga. L. 1961, p. 582, § 5; Code 1933, § 88-2005, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1; Ga. L. 1972, p. 234, § 1; Ga. L. 1976, p. 1559, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1499, § 3; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 31. 31-23-6. Removal of eye or corneal tissue.