§ 23-18.6.1-2. Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Adult� means an individual who is at least eighteen (18) years of age.
(2) "Agent� means an individual:
(i) Authorized to make health care decisions on the principal's behalf by a power of attorney
for health care; or
(ii) 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. The term includes a stillborn infant and, subject to restrictions
imposed by law other than this chapter, a fetus.
(5) "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. The term does not include a person to which an anatomical
gift could pass under § 23-18.6.1-11.
(6) "Document of gift� means inclusion in a donor registry, a donor card or other record
used to make an anatomical gift. The term includes a statement or symbol on a driver's
license or identification card.
(7) "Donor� means an individual whose body or part is the subject of an anatomical gift.
(8) "Donor registryâ€� means the Rhode Island Donor Registry established under § 31-10-26.1 as well as any other electronic database that identifies donors and complies with
§ 23-18.6.1-20.
(9) "Driver's license� means a motor vehicle or chauffeurs license or permit issued by
the department of motor vehicles, whether or not conditions are attached to the license
or permit.
(10) "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.
(11) "Guardian� means a person appointed by a court to make decisions regarding the support,
care, education, health, or welfare of an individual. The term does not include a
guardian ad litem.
(12) "Hospital� means a facility licensed as a hospital under the law of any state or a
facility operated as a hospital by the United States, a state, or a subdivision of
a state.
(13) "Identification card� means an identification card issued by the department of motor
vehicles.
(14) "Know� means to have actual knowledge.
(15) "Minor� means an individual who is under eighteen (18) years of age.
(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� means an organ, an eye, or tissue of a human being. The term 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
the law of any state.
(21) "Procurement organization� means an eye bank, organ procurement organization, or tissue
bank.
(22) "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. The term does not include an individual
who has made a refusal that is known by the procurement organization.
(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) "Refusalâ€� means a record created under § 23-18.6.1-7 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:
(i) To execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or
(ii) 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 determined to be qualified to remove or process parts
by an appropriate organization that is licensed, accredited, or regulated under federal
or state law. The term includes an enucleator.
(30) "Tissue� means a portion of the human body other than an organ or an eye. The term
does not include blood unless the 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.