Home California Governor Signs Leyva Bill to Save Lives of Patients in Urgent Need of Blood

Governor Signs Leyva Bill to Save Lives of Patients in Urgent Need of Blood

by ECT

SB 406 Ensures Blood Transport Vehicles Make Timely Blood Deliveries

SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill authored by Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) to ensure that patients’ lives are not put at risk due to the delayed delivery of blood.

SB 406 will allow blood transport vehicles to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to deliver blood to patients in need. The vehicle must be an official American Red Cross or blood bank vehicle that is clearly identified on all sides to be able to use the HOV lane. The American Red Cross receives, on average, 120 urgent blood orders each day – referred to as ‘STAT’ orders. STAT orders must arrive within 60 minutes, yet traffic congestion can back up freeways for hours at a time and make it difficult for blood delivery vehicles to arrive in the specified timeframe.

“The Governor’s signature today ensures that blood banks across the state are able to fulfill urgent blood delivery orders from hospitals, even in times of congested traffic,” Senator Leyva said.  “The American Red Cross has the nation’s largest collection center in Pomona, a city in my Senate district. We are all aware that freeways in metropolitan areas can sometimes crawl at a few miles per hour in the worst traffic hours. It is vital that blood transport vehicles can help save the lives of patients in areas like the Inland Empire and Los Angeles County, even in high traffic hours. Again, I appreciate Governor Brown’s signature of SB 406 that will help to save people’s lives.”

The American Red Cross receives 88% of its blood donations from blood drives set up at mobile locations, such as high schools, community organizations, and places of worship. Blood donations are then transported in iced coolers to storage centers, after which they are prepared to be shipped to hospitals that request blood. Although hospitals store blood at their location, rare blood is oftentimes requested per STAT order from the American Red Cross or other blood banks.

Taking effect on January 1, 2018, SB 406 is sponsored by the American Red Cross and is supported by numerous blood banks across the state.

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2 comments

Old Pittsburg/Antioch Hwy Border Oct 3, 2017 - 6:51 am

Seriously? I’m in a Red Cross labeled vehicle and I choose to sit in traffic instead of jumping into the open HOV lane when the blood I am to deliver is urgently needed? I need a bill to allow me to make this decision? And CHP has issued tickets to the offending Red Cross drivers? Seriously? Or are we looking at a Senator padded her numbers?

Nick Oct 3, 2017 - 9:51 am

What part of the blood will get their quicker don’t you understand?

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