AN ACT raising the age to give or donate blood without parental consent from SIXTEEN to EIGHTEEN years old; and appropriating funds to the department of health and human services, division of public health, to raise public awareness about this age requirement.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 130A‑412.31 reads as rewritten:

§ 130A‑412.31.  Giving of blood by persons 16 18 years of age or more.

A person who is 16 18 years of age or more may give or donate blood to an individual, hospital, blood bank or blood collection center without the consent of the parent or parents or guardian of the donor. It shall be unlawful for a person under the age of 18 years to sell blood.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2022‑2023 fiscal year to raise public awareness about the age requirement specified in G.S. 130A‑412.31, as amended by this act, to give or donate blood in this State without parental consent.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2022.