AR HB1685

Expands the definition of "principal" to include individuals for whom a surrogate is designated under the Healthcare Decisions Act, not just those who grant authority to an agent.

Allows adults, married minors, and emancipated minors to designate a surrogate through oral or written notice to their healthcare provider, or permits healthcare providers to identify a surrogate when the principal lacks capacity and no agent or designated surrogate is available.

Establishes surrogate selection criteria requiring candidates to exhibit special care and concern for the principal, be familiar with their values, be reasonably available, and willing to serve; prohibits those subject to protective orders from serving as surrogates.

Creates a priority order for surrogate selection: spouse, adult child, parent, adult sibling, other adult relatives, or any other qualified adult; permits healthcare providers to make decisions if no eligible surrogate is available after consulting ethics committees or obtaining concurrence from a second independent physician.

Modifies liability protections to include ethics officers and committee members, and requires court proceedings to be expedited and addressed within three business days after complete service of process.