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IN HB1561
Bill
Status
1/23/2017
Primary Sponsor
Matt Pierce
Click for details
AI Summary
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Allows individuals at least 18 years old with a terminal illness (expected to result in death within 6 months) to request medication from a physician to self-administer to end their life, subject to meeting competency and residency requirements.
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Requires two written requests separated by a 15-day waiting period, with each request witnessed by at least two individuals who are not relatives, healthcare facility employees, or the attending physician.
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Mandates attending physicians confirm terminal illness diagnosis through a consulting physician, verify patient competency, inform patients of alternatives (comfort care, hospice, pain control), and refer for psychological counseling if depression or impaired judgment is suspected.
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Prohibits life insurance policies from being conditioned on or affected by a patient's request or use of medication under this chapter, and voids any contract provisions limiting a patient's ability to make such requests.
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Criminalizes willfully altering, forging, or destroying medication requests with intent to cause death as a Level 1 felony, and makes coercion or undue influence to request medication a Level 1 felony.
Legislative Description
End of life options. Allows individuals with a terminal illness who meet certain requirements to make a written request to an attending physician for medication that the individual may self-administer to end the individual's life. Specifies requirements a physician must meet in order to prescribe the medication to a patient.
Last Action
First reading: referred to Committee on Public Health
1/23/2017