Starting in June, 16-year-olds will be able to donate blood in West Virginia if they have their parents' permission.

Last month the West Virginia legislature passed the bill lowering the donor age from 17 years old without parental consent.

Again this law won't change until June but a boy scout who organized a blood drive today said his turnout would have been better if the law was in effect Saturday.

Danny Stemple, the 17-year-old boy scout who organized the blood drive, said "There were a lot of 16-year-olds that I tried to recruit and couldn't come since they were 16."

"It'll definitely give us a lot more donations when we go to high schools," said Brandie Neal, a nurse at the American Red Cross Keystone Donor Center in Parkersburg.

A local Red Cross spokesman said they depend on high schools to provide about 12 % of their blood supply and lowering the age limit will help get more donors.

A similar bill passed the Ohio House but it still has to pass the Ohio Senate and be signed by Governor Ted Strickland before it becomes law.