§ 19a-289a — Definitions.

As used in sections 19a-289a to 19a-289v, inclusive, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) “Adult” means an individual who is at least eighteen years of age. (2) “Agent” means an individual: (A) Authorized to make health care decisions on the principal's behalf by a power of attorney for health care; or (B) Expressly authorized to make an anatomical gift on the principal's behalf by any other record signed by the principal. (3) “Anatomical gift” means a donation of all or part of a human body to take effect after the donor's death for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research or education. (4) “Decedent” means a deceased individual whose body or part is or may be the source of an anatomical gift, including a stillborn infant and, subject to restrictions imposed by law other than the provisions of sections 19a-289a to 19a-289v , inclusive, a fetus. (5) “Disinterested witness” (A) means a witness other than the spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandchild, grandparent or guardian of the individual who makes, amends, revokes or refuses to make an anatomical gift, or another adult who exhibited special care and concern for the individual, and (B) does not include a person to whom an anatomical gift could pass under section 19a-289j . (6) “Document of gift” means a donor card or other record used to make an anatomical gift, including a statement or symbol on an operator's license or identification card or inclusion in a donor registry. (7) “Donor” means an individual whose body or part is the subject of an anatomical gift. (8) “Donor registry” means the state donor registry maintained pursuant to the provisions of section 14-42a and includes any other database that identifies donors and conforms with the provisions of section 19a-289s . (9) “Eye bank” means a person that is licensed, accredited or regulated under federal or state law to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage or distribution of human eyes or portions of human eyes. (10) “Guardian” (A) means a person appointed by a court to make decisions regarding the support, care, education, health or welfare of an individual, and (B) does not include a guardian ad litem. (11) “Hospital” means a facility licensed as a hospital under chapter 368v or the law of any other state or a facility operated as a hospital by the United States, a state or a subdivision of a state. (12) “Identification card” means an identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. (13) “Knows” or “knowingly” means to have actual knowledge. (14) “Minor” means an individual who is under eighteen years of age. (15) “Operator's license” means a license or permit issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to operate a vehicle, whether or not conditions are attached to such license or permit. (16) “Organ procurement organization” means a person designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services as an organ procurement organization. (17) “Parent” means a parent whose parental rights have not been terminated. (18) “Part” (A) means an organ, an eye or tissue of a human being, and (B) does not include the whole body. (19) “Person” means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. (20) “Physician” means an individual authorized to practice medicine or osteopathy under chapter 370 or the law of any other state. (21) “Procurement organization” means a person licensed, accredited or approved under federal laws or the laws of any state, as a nonprofit organ procurement organization, eye or tissue bank. (22) “Prospective donor” means an individual, except for an individual who has made a refusal, who is dead or near death and has been determined by a procurement organization to have a part that could be medically suitable for transplantation, therapy, research or education. (23) “Reasonably available” means able to be contacted by a procurement organization without undue effort and willing and able to act in a timely manner consistent with existing medical criteria necessary for the making of an anatomical gift. (24) “Recipient” means an individual into whose body a decedent's part has been or is intended to be transplanted. (25) “Record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. (26) “Refusal” means a record created under section 19a-289f that expressly states an intent to bar other persons from making an anatomical gift of an individual's body or part. (27) “Sign” means, with the present intent to authenticate or adopt a record: (A) To execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or (B) To attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound or process. (28) “State” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. (29) “Technician” means an individual, including an enucleator, determined to be qualified to remove or process parts by an appropriate organization that is licensed, accredited or regulated under federal or state law. (30) “Tissue” means a portion of the human body other than an organ or an eye, and excludes blood unless such blood is donated for the purpose of research or education. (31) “Tissue bank” means a person that is licensed, accredited or regulated under federal or state law to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage or distribution of tissue. (32) “Transplant hospital” means a hospital that furnishes organ transplants and other medical and surgical specialty services required for the care of transplant patients.

Legislative History

(P.A. 10-123, S. 2.)