State.

More than 9-thousand people are in need of a life-saving organ transplant.

Newschannel 2's rachel murphy has more on what a local hospital is doing to promote awareness and how a state lawmaker proposed a way to make everyone an organ donor.

Cart 1: april is national donate life month.

And new york state has one of the highest needs for organ donors.

But patricia king at rome memorial hospital is trying to change that.

Patricia king assistant vice president, continuum of care, rome memorial hpital it's the most valuable life you could ever have someone and there's no charge to the family related to it and that there is such a need for organ donation cart 2: in central new york 343 people are waiting for an organ.

And onestate lawmaker recently introduced a new bill that would automatically enroll anyone 18 and older as an organ donor, unless they opt-out of the registry.

But because of the public's reaction he decided not to move forward with the bill.

But there are other ways that the state is trying to encourage more people to sign up as an organ donor.

The motor vehicle department is allowing 16 and 17-year-olds as of 2017 to sign up wh th need either get a drivers license or permit has increased the number of organ donor's the motor vehicle department is allowing 16 and 17-year-olds as of 2017 to sign up when they need either get a drivers license or permithas ncreased e number of donor's reporter stand up: and rome memorial hospital is promoting organ donation all month long.

Our community awareness event in oregon redwoods trail thishursdy at rome memorial hospital opening ceremonies will be at 11 am in the hospital the entire community is invited and that well we will also have oprtunity f them to register to become on the organ donation registry cart 4: one organ donor can save up to eight people's lives.

Reporting in rome rachel murphy newschannel 2.

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