Rep. Brown's Bill to Incentivize Employers to Offer Paid Leave to Organ Donors Easily Passes Committee

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Richard D. Brown (D-Canal Winchester) announced that House Bill (HB) 399, his bipartisan bill with joint-sponsor Rep. Brian Lampton (R-Beavercreek), will serve as a powerful tool to alleviate financial burdens on living organ donors and incentivize employers to offer paid leave to organ donors.

“Kidney disease is a significant problem for many Ohioans. Kidney disease is a killer. It is costly and time consuming to treat. It often ultimately requires a kidney transplant to survive,” said Rep. Brown. “This legislation, if signed into law, will encourage organ donations, thus increasing the pool of available organs for transplantation, and saving lives.”

HB 399 will create a new income tax credit for employers who provide paid leave to an employee who makes an organ donation, provided that the compensation paid to the employee as a donation leave benefit is equal to the compensation the employee would have received if the employee had been working as usual. This credit to the employer is a reduction in the tax owed.

The bill now heads to the House Floor for a vote.