SB 1384 - Medical Aid in Dying

• Establishes a medical aid in dying program allowing terminally ill Arizona residents to request prescriptions for self-administered medication to end their lives, requiring confirmation by both an attending physician and consulting physician that the patient has a terminal illness expected to result in death within six months.

• Requires patients to be at least 18 years old, mentally capable, and make multiple requests including at least two oral requests separated by a minimum 15-day waiting period (waivable if death is imminent), with written requests witnessed by two individuals, one of whom cannot be a relative or beneficiary of the patient's estate.

• Mandates attending physicians to provide comprehensive information about diagnosis, prognosis, medication risks and benefits, feasible alternatives including comfort care and hospice, and refer patients for psychiatric evaluation if needed; consulting physicians must independently confirm the terminal diagnosis and patient's capacity.

• Provides liability protections for healthcare providers and facilities acting in good faith under the law while allowing facilities to prohibit participation on their premises with advance notice; classifies unauthorized alteration of requests or coercion as felonies.

• Requires death certificates to list the underlying terminal illness as cause of death rather than suicide or homicide; establishes residency requirements and reporting obligations for the Department of Health Services.