CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire has helped introduce a bill that would prevent discrimination against patients with disabilities who are in need of an organ transplant.

The bill is named after Charlotte Woodward, of Fairfax, Virginia, an advocate with Down syndrome who received a heart transplant nine years ago and has fought to raise the issue of organ transplant discrimination in various states.

Hassan, a Democrat, recently introduced the bill with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida. They said in a news release that more than 25 states currently prohibit organ transplantation discrimination, but discrepancies across state laws and delays in delivering relief to patients has made enforcement difficult.