§ 24-6B-2 — Definitions

As used in the Jonathan Spradling Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act: A. "adult" means an individual who is at least sixteen years of age; B. "agent" means an individual: (1) authorized to make health care decisions on the principal's behalf by a power of attorney for health care; or (2) expressly authorized to make an anatomical gift on the principal's behalf by any other record signed by the principal; C. "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; D. "decedent" means a deceased individual whose body or part is or may be the source of an anatomical gift. "Decedent" includes a stillborn infant and, subject to restrictions imposed by law other than the Jonathan Spradling Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, a fetus but not including a fetus that is the subject of an induced abortion; E. "disinterested witness" 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. "Disinterested witness" does not include a person to which an anatomical gift could pass pursuant to Section 11 [24-6B-11 NMSA 1978] of the Jonathan Spradling Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act; F. "document of gift" means a donor card or other record used to make an anatomical gift. "Document of gift" includes a statement or symbol on a driver's license, identification card or donor registry; G. "donor" means an individual whose body or part is the subject of an anatomical gift; H. "donor registry" means a database that contains records of anatomical gifts and amendments to or revocations of anatomical gifts; I. "driver's license" means a license or permit issued by the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department to operate a vehicle, whether or not conditions are attached to the license or permit; J. "eye bank" means a person that is licensed, accredited or regulated pursuant to federal or state law to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage or distribution of human eyes or portions of human eyes; K. "guardian" means a person appointed by a court to make decisions regarding the support, care, education, health or welfare of an individual. "Guardian" does not include a guardian ad litem; L. "hospital" means a facility licensed as a hospital pursuant to the law of any state or a facility operated as a hospital by the United States, a state or a subdivision of a state; M. "identification card" means an identification card issued by the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department; N. "know" means to have actual knowledge; O. "minor" means an individual who is under eighteen years of age; P. "organ procurement organization" means a person designated by the secretary of the federal department of health and human services as an organ procurement organization; Q. "parent" means a parent whose parental rights have not been terminated; R. "part" means an organ, an eye or tissue of a human being. "Part" does not include the whole body; S. "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; T. "physician" means an individual authorized to practice medicine or osteopathy pursuant to the law of any state; U. "power of attorney for health care" includes an advance health-care directive as defined in the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act [Chapter 24, Article 7A NMSA 1978]; V. "procurement organization" means an eye bank, organ procurement organization or tissue bank; W. "prospective donor" means an individual 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. "Prospective donor" does not include an individual who has made a refusal; X. "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; Y. "recipient" means an individual into whose body a decedent's part has been or is intended to be transplanted; Z. "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; AA. "refusal" means a record created pursuant to Section 7 [24-6B-7 NMSA 1978] of the Jonathan Spradling Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act that expressly states an intent to bar other persons from making an anatomical gift of an individual's body or part; BB. "sign" means, with the present intent to authenticate or adopt a record: (1) to execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or (2) to attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound or process; CC. "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; DD. "technician" means an individual determined to be qualified to remove or process parts by an appropriate organization that is licensed, accredited or regulated pursuant to federal or state law. "Technician" includes an enucleator; EE. "tissue" means a portion of the human body other than an organ or an eye. "Tissue" does not include blood unless the blood is donated for the purpose of research or education; FF."tissue bank" means a person that is licensed, accredited or regulated pursuant to federal or state law to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage or distribution of tissue; and GG. "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

Laws 2007, ch. 323, §2.