Vetoed by Governor Joseph Lombardo

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes medical aid in dying where terminally ill individuals.

Highlights:

• Authorizes medical aid in dying for terminally ill individuals over the age of 18 with a diagnosis of 6 months left to live to take life-ending medication (Sec. 23).

• Requires terminally ill indivdiuals request from a licensed health practitioner the life-ending medication on their own acord and without coercion, deception, or undue influence (Sec. 24).

• Specifies the following requirements licensed health practitioners must follow before prescribing the life ending medication, including (Sec. 26):

• Informing the patient of their right to revoke a request for the medication at any time;

• Determining and verifying that the patient meets the requirements in order to meet the request;

• Discussing certain altermative options for care with the patient;

• Referring the patient to a consulting practitioners who can perform the diagnosisl prgnosis, and mental capability of the patient; and

• Instructing the patient against self-administering the medication in public.

• Requires that the cause of death on the death certificate to be attributed to the terminal illness and not a mercy killing, euthanasia, assisted suicice, suicide, or homicide when done in accordance with the provisions of this bill (Sec. 35).

• Prohibits a health care facility from penalizing, reprimanding, or revoking a health care practitioners license who takes part in a medical aid-in-dying procedure (Sec. 39).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the governor (Sec. 50).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes medical aid in dying where terminally ill individuals.

Highlights:

• Authorizes medical aid in dying for terminally ill individuals over the age of 18 with a diagnosis of 6 months left to live to take life-ending medication (Sec. 23).

• Requires terminally ill indivdiuals request from a licensed health practitioner the life-ending medication on their own acord and without coercion, deception, or undue influence (Sec. 24).

• Specifies the following requirements licensed health practitioners must follow before prescribing the life ending medication, including (Sec. 26):

• Informing the patient of their right to revoke a request for the medication at any time;

• Determining and verifying that the patient meets the requirements in order to meet the request;

• Discussing certain altermative options for care with the patient;

• Referring the patient to a consulting practitioners who can perform the diagnosisl prgnosis, and mental capability of the patient; and

• Instructing the patient against self-administering the medication in public.

• Requires that the cause of death on the death certificate to be attributed to the terminal illness and not a mercy killing, euthanasia, assisted suicice, suicide, or homicide when done in accordance with the provisions of this bill (Sec. 35).

• Prohibits a health care facility from penalizing, reprimanding, or revoking a health care practitioners license who takes part in a medical aid-in-dying procedure (Sec. 39).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the governor (Sec. 50).

Full Bill Text