A proposed law pre-filed in the S.C. Senate that would make organ donors of state drivers who don't pay attention to the fine print shouldn't see the light of day.

The legislation authored by Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach, would make drivers automatically become organ donors when they obtain or renew a license. Currently, the law allows people to decide whether they want to donate organs -- and that is the way it should stay.

While the senator says it is not an attempt to mandate organ donation, it has the marketing scheme used by record and book clubs over the years. Government should encourage people to opt in, but don't use an opt-out device.

According to organdonor.gov, "Each day, about 74 people receive an organ transplant. However, 17 people die each day waiting for transplants that can't take place because of the shortage of donated organs."

A report released by the The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last spring said that 26,984 Americans received an organ transplant last year. The department boosted its efforts in 2001 to raise awareness of the need for donors. Statistics show that more than 7,000 deceased donors gave multiple organs in 2004, which was an 11 percent increase over 2003.

One of the most common transplant procedures, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network, is kidney transplants, while the demand for heart transplants has slowed because of advances in medical and surgical procedures.

A better plan for the senator and others to consider would be to encourage schools, hospitals and arms of government to educate people about the need for organ donations. And encourage drivers and others to "opt in" rather than "opt out," which should be dead on arrival when senators discuss it.