Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes a physician to prescribe aid-in-dying drugs to terminally ill patients.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a terminally ill individual to make a request for aid-in-dying medication that the individual may choose to self-administer, if the individual has met the following qualifications (Sec. 4):
• Is an adult resident of New Jersey;
• Is capable and has been determined to be terminally ill; and
• Has voluntarily expressed a wish to receive a prescription.

• Defines “terminally ill” as a patient in the terminal stage of an irreversibly fatal illness, disease, or condition with a prognosis, based upon reasonable medical certainty, of a life expectancy of 6 months or less (Sec. 3).

• Requires an individual to make 2 oral requests and 1 written request to an attending physician in order to receive aid-in-dying medication and establishes certain criteria for the request process, including but not limited to the following (Sec. 10):
• At least 15 days must pass between the 2 oral requests;
• At least 15 days must pass between the patient’s initial oral request and the writing of the prescription; and
• The attending physician offers the option to rescind the request for medication after the 2nd oral request.

• Requires that a valid written request for medication be witnessed by at least 2 individuals, at least 1 of whom is not (Sec. 5):
• A relative of the patient by blood, marriage or adoption;
• A recipient of the patient’s estate; or
• An owner, operator, or employee of the health care facility where the individual is receiving medical treatment or is a resident.   

• Specifies that nothing in these provisions shall be construed to authorize lethal injection, active euthanasia, or mercy killing (Sec. 15).

• Specifies that any action taken in accordance with these provisions shall not constitute suicide or assisted suicide (Sec. 27).  

Full Bill Text