HB 54 Summary

• Allows qualified terminally ill individuals in Alaska to request medication from their physician to end their life, requiring the individual to be a state resident, age 18+, capable of making decisions, and suffering from a terminal disease expected to cause death within 6 months

• Requires two oral requests (15 days apart) and one written request witnessed by two individuals, with a 48-hour waiting period between written request and prescription, plus evaluation by both attending and consulting physicians

• Mandates that individuals be informed of diagnosis, prognosis, medication risks, probable results, and alternatives including comfort care, hospice, and pain control; requires referral for counseling if depression or psychiatric disorder is suspected

• Establishes immunity from civil and criminal liability for healthcare providers participating in good faith; prohibits conditioning insurance policies or contracts on making or revoking such requests

• Provides criminal penalties (Class A felony) for falsifying requests or exerting undue influence; establishes affirmative defense to homicide and assisted suicide charges for actions complying with the chapter; effective January 1, 2019