On Wednesday, April 7, representatives from Rhode Island Blood Center testified before the Senate Labor and Gaming Committee in support of Senate Bill 2928, a measure that would provide paid leave for blood donation and reduce a key barrier to donor participation.
The bill, introduced by Senator Lammis J. Vargas, would grant full-time employees up to four hours of paid leave each year to donate blood through an approved program, including the Rhode Island Blood Center. The leave would be provided without any loss of pay or accrued benefits and includes protections for employees who choose to participate.
Senator Vargas offered deeply personal testimony, drawing on her experiences with blood transfusions following childbirth and during her battle with leukemia. Her remarks underscored the essential and often life-saving role of a reliable blood supply.
Hunter Shaffer, Vice President of Blood Operations at Rhode Island Blood Center, testified on behalf of the organization and the patients it serves. He noted that RIBC provides nearly 100,000 blood products each year to more than 50 hospitals and healthcare partners across New England, while also pointing to ongoing challenges, including a sustained decline in donor participation since the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that only about 3% of eligible Americans donate.
More broadly, Shaffer emphasized the importance of maintaining a stable blood supply, particularly in moments of crisis, and noted that policies which make donation more accessible can have a direct and meaningful impact on patient care.
The bill received unanimous support from the committee, an encouraging signal of support for efforts to strengthen the region’s blood supply and remove barriers for donors.