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16-Year-Olds May Be Able To Donate Blood in Michigan
August, 2007: A bill being considered by Michigan legislators would allow 16-year-olds to give blood with the permission of a parent or guardian. Senate Bill 0486, which has been approved by the Michigan Senate, will be reviewed by the House Health Policy Committee before being put to a vote in the House of Representatives.
Senate 0486 is also called “Jenna’s Law”, a title inspired by the daughter of Senator Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), who wanted to give blood last year at her high school’s blood drive but was unable to do so because at the time she was only 16. To expand the pool of eligible blood donors to include 16-year-olds, Sen. Kuipers and Sen. Thomas George (R-Kalamazoo) proposed Jenna’s Law in May this year.
Across the US, the minimum blood donor age by federal mandate is 17; however, individual states may choose to modify that requirement. Currently 15 other states allow 16-year-olds to donate blood: Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington.
Michigan Community Blood Centers believes Jenna’s Law provides important support for the community blood supply by encouraging Michigan citizens to establish a habit of blood donation at an early age, thus expanding the blood donor pool that is essential to sustain a unique and lifesaving resource for communities throughout Michigan.
© Michigan Community Blood Centers
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