SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/HB 493

Leave for Living Organ Donation
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SPONSOR
Government Operations Subcommittee; Berfield
FILED BY
Kimberly Berfield — District 58, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Rules

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Leave for Living Organ Donation; Defines "living organ donor"; requires state agencies to grant administrative leave, not to exceed specified number of days, to allow employee to serve as living organ donor; specifies that such leave is in addition to other leave authorized by law; defines "employer" and "living organ donor"; requires certain employers to grant unpaid leave of absence to allow employee to serve as living organ donor; specifies length of such leave of absence; authorizes employers to grant paid or unpaid leave for period longer than required period of time; provides effective date.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Requires large employers to grant unpaid leave for organ donation.

State agencies must give any employee up to 30 working days of paid leave to donate an organ while alive, on top of whatever medical, personal, or other leave the employee already has.

Private employers and local governments with 50 or more employees must grant unpaid leave to a worker who requests it in writing and provides a doctor's documentation confirming the donation date.

That unpaid leave has no fixed day limit; it lasts until the employee's doctor clears them to return to work, and it doesn't replace or reduce any paid leave the employer already offers.

Employers can choose to be more generous than the law requires, offering paid leave or a longer leave period than the minimum this bill sets.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 State agencies must give employees paid leave to donate an organ majors. 110.1185

AIEvery state agency must grant an employee up to 30 working days of paid administrative leave to serve as a living organ donor, on top of any other leave the employee already has.

“shall grant administrative leave, with pay, not to exceed 30 working days, to allow an employee to serve as a living organ donor” bill text, line 26 →
§ 2 Requires large private and local-government employers to grant unpaid donation leave majors. 381.865

AIAny private employer or local government with 50 or more employees must grant an employee unpaid leave to serve as a living organ donor, once the employee submits a written request with physician documentation of the donation date.

“An employer shall grant an employee an unpaid leave of absence to allow the employee to serve as a living organ donor” bill text, line 43 →
§ 3 Private-sector leave runs until medical clearance, not a fixed day cap majors. 381.865

AIUnlike the 30-day cap that applies to state agencies, the unpaid leave for private and local-government employees has no stated day limit; it continues until the employee's attending physician provides medical clearance to resume work.

“The leave shall continue until the attending physician provides medical clearance for the employee to resume work duties” bill text, line 47 →
§ 4 Exempts employers with fewer than 50 employees from the mandate moderates. 381.865

AIThe unpaid-leave requirement only applies to a private employer or political subdivision that employs 50 or more employees, leaving smaller employers free to decide on their own whether to grant leave.

“or a political subdivision of the state, that employs 50 or more employees” bill text, line 38 →
§ 5 Donation leave stacks on top of other leave, not in place of it moderates. 381.865

AIThe private-sector unpaid leave is required to be in addition to any medical, personal, or other paid leave the employee already receives, so donating an organ cannot be used to reduce an employee's existing leave balance.

“is in addition to any medical, personal, or other paid leave provided by the employer” bill text, line 51 →
§ 6 Employers may voluntarily offer more than the law requires technicals. 381.865

AIAn employer covered by the mandate can choose to grant paid leave, or extend the leave beyond the length required, going further than the statute's floor without being required to.

“An employer may grant paid or unpaid leave for a period longer than required by paragraph (a)” bill text, line 53 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Rules
3/4/2026
Received
3/4/2026
Referred to Rules
3/4/2026
In Messages
3/4/2026
CS passed; YEAS 112, NAYS 0
3/4/2026
Read 3rd time
3/4/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/4/2026
Read 2nd time
2/26/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/4/2026)
2/24/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/24/2026
Bill released to House Calendar
2/24/2026
Reported out of State Affairs Committee
2/24/2026
Favorable by State Affairs Committee
2/20/2026
Added to State Affairs Committee agenda
2/2/2026
Now in State Affairs Committee
2/2/2026
Referred to State Affairs Committee
1/30/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
1/30/2026
CS Filed
1/30/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
1/30/2026
Reported out of Government Operations Subcommittee
1/29/2026
Favorable with CS by Government Operations Subcommittee(Amended)
1/27/2026
Added to Government Operations Subcommittee agenda
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
11/24/2025
Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
11/24/2025
Referred to State Affairs Committee
11/24/2025
Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee
11/19/2025
Filed
21 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 110.1185
+88 / −0
s. 381.865
+188 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES