One of the many bills before the State Legislature this year calls for tax breaks for people agreeing to donate their organs for transplant. The buying and selling of human organs is prohibited, but there’s nothing wrong with helping a donor pay the expenses that might be associated with organ donation. Senator Charles Wheeler of Kansas City, a medical doctor, says compensating a donor is the right thing to do. And, according to Wheeler, failure to offer this kind of tax break ends up costing the State and individuals money because the alternative is far more expensive. Wheeler’s bill would create a tax deduction of up to $10,000 for expenses incurred by any individual donating his or her organs. The proposal is based on similar legislation first approved in Wisconsin and now in effect in ten other states.
