SB 15-174 Summary

• Adopts the "Uniform Substitute Decision-making Documents Act" as Colorado law to recognize and regulate substitute decision-making documents (powers of attorney, health care directives, etc.)

• Establishes validity requirements for substitute decision-making documents executed outside Colorado based on compliance with the law of the jurisdiction indicated in the document or where it was executed

• Permits persons to accept documents in good faith and assume they are genuine, valid, and still in effect without further investigation regarding the document or decision-maker's authority

• Requires persons asked to accept a valid substitute decision-making document to do so within a reasonable time and prohibits requiring different forms of authorization for the authority granted

• Subjects persons who refuse to accept a valid substitute decision-making document to court orders mandating acceptance and liability for reasonable attorney's fees and costs