Signed by Governor Butch Otter

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits doctors from denying a patient end-of-life care without the patient's consent.

Highlights:

• Prohibits doctors and nurses from denying end-of-life care which includes, but is not limited to, the following (Sec. 3):
• Assisted feeding;
• Artificial nutrition; and
• Artificial hydration.

• Specifies that the denial of end-of-life care is valid if consent is given by (Sec. 3):
• A competent, mentally sound patient;
• A patient’s health care directive; or
• A patient’s surrogate decision maker.

• Authorizes doctors and nurses to deny “futile care” treatment for a terminally ill patient whose death is imminent within hours or at most a few days and the medical treatment will not improve the patient's condition or speed up the patient's death (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that “futile care” does not include “comfort care” (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits doctors from denying a patient end-of-life care without the patient's consent.

Highlights:

• Prohibits doctors and nurses from denying end-of-life care which includes, but is not limited to, the following (Sec. 3):
• Assisted feeding;
• Artificial nutrition; and
• Artificial hydration.

• Specifies that the denial of end-of-life care is valid if consent is given by (Sec. 3):
• A competent, mentally sound patient;
• A patient’s health care directive; or
• A patient’s surrogate decision maker.

• Authorizes doctors and nurses to deny “futile care” treatment for a terminally ill patient whose death is imminent within hours or at most a few days and the medical treatment will not improve the patient's condition or speed up the patient's death (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that “futile care” does not include “comfort care” (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text