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Introduction
SB 1995 would legalize assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia
for terminally ill, competent patients. An objecting physician need
not participate in the procedure, but must transfer the care of the patient
to another physician upon the request of the patient [See section 31 and
51(a)4].Health care facilities that have policies against assisted
suicide and voluntary euthanasia and that have notified staff of the
policies may prohibit them from providing the service on their premises, and
discipline those who disregard the instruction [See section 51(b)].
This provision offers some protection to institutions opposed to the
procedures. However, such institutions may not prevent health care
workers on their premises from referring patients elsewhere, or from
contracting to provide the procedure elsewhere to patients whom they meet at
the institution [See Section 51(b) 3(2)].
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PART III. SAFEGUARDS
§-31 Attending physician responsibilities; alternate physician.
(c) If at any time an attending physician declines or is unable to
fulfill any of the responsibilities detailed in subsection (a), particularly
paragraph (12) regarding dispensing medication to a patient, the attending
physician shall relinquish the responsibilities to an alternate physician
who is willing and able to fulfill the responsibilities detailed in
subsection (a).
PART IV. IMMUNITIES AND
LIABILITIES
§ ‑51 Immunities; basis for
prohibiting health care provider or monitor from participation;
notification; permissible sanctions.
(a) Except as provided in section 52:
(1) No person shall be subject to civil or
criminal liability or professional disciplinary action for participating
in good faith compliance with this chapter. This includes being present
when a qualified patient takes the prescribed medication to end the
qualified patient's life in a humane and dignified manner;
(2) No professional organization or
association, or health care provider, may subject a person to
censure, discipline, suspension, loss of license, loss of
privileges, loss of membership, or other penalty for participating
or refusing to
participate in good faith compliance with this chapter;
(3) No request by a qualified patient for or
provision by an attending or alternate physician of medication in
good faith compliance with this chapter shall constitute neglect for
any purpose of law or provide the sole basis for the appointment of
a guardian or conservator; and
(4)
No health care provider shall be under any duty, whether by
contract, statute, or any other legal requirement, to participate in
the provision to a qualified patient of medication to end the
qualified patient's life in a humane and dignified manner.
If a health care provider is unable or unwilling to carry out a
qualified patient's request under this chapter, and the qualified
patient transfers the qualified patient's care to a new health care
provider, the prior health care provider shall transfer, upon
request, a copy of the qualified patient's relevant medical records
to the new health care provider.
(b) Except as provided in section 52:
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, a health care provider may prohibit another health care
provider from participating in this chapter on the premises of the
prohibiting provider if the prohibiting provider has notified the
health care provider of the prohibiting provider's policy regarding
participating in this chapter. Nothing in this paragraph shall
prevent a health care provider from providing health care services
to a qualified patient that does not constitute participation in
this chapter;
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a health
care provider may subject another health care provider to the
sanctions stated in this paragraph if the sanctioning health care
provider has notified the sanctioned provider prior to participation
in this chapter that it prohibits participation in this chapter:
(A) Loss of privileges, loss of
membership, or other sanction provided pursuant to the medical
staff bylaws, policies, and procedures of the sanctioning health
care provider if the sanctioned provider is a member of the
sanctioning provider's medical staff and participates in this
chapter while on the health care facility premises of the
sanctioning health care provider, but not including the private
medical office of a physician or other provider;
(B) Termination of lease or other
property contract or other nonmonetary remedies provided by
lease contract, not including loss or restriction of medical
staff privileges or exclusion from a provider panel, if the
sanctioned provider participates in this chapter while on the
premises of the sanctioning health care provider or on property
that is owned by or under the direct control of the sanctioning
health care provider; or
(C) Termination of contract or other
nonmonetary remedies provided by contract if the sanctioned
provider participates in this chapter while acting in the course
and scope of the sanctioned provider's capacity as an employee
or independent contractor of the sanctioning health care
provider. Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to
prevent:
(i) A health care provider from
participating in this chapter while acting outside the
course and scope of the provider's capacity as an employee
or independent contractor; or
(ii) A qualified patient from
contracting with the qualified patient's attending or
alternate physician and consulting physician to act outside
the course and scope of the provider's capacity as an
employee or independent contractor of the sanctioning health
care provider; and
(3) A health care provider that imposes
sanctions pursuant to paragraph (2) shall follow all due process and
other procedures the sanctioning health care provider may have,
including, at a minimum, reasonable notice and an opportunity for a
hearing, that are related to the imposition of sanctions on another
health care provider.
For the purposes of this
subsection:
"Notify" means to make a separate
statement in writing to the health care provider specifically
informing the health care provider prior to the provider's
participation in this chapter of the sanctioning health care
provider's policy about participation in activities covered by
this chapter.
"Participate in this chapter":
(1) Means to perform the duties of an
attending or alternate physician pursuant to section 31, the
consulting physician function pursuant to section ‑32,
the counseling function pursuant to section 33, or the
monitoring function pursuant to section 41;
(2) Does not include:
(A) Making an initial
determination that a patient has a terminal disease and
informing the patient of the medical prognosis;
(B) Providing information
about this chapter to a patient upon the request of the
patient;
(C) Providing a patient, upon
the request of the patient, with a referral to another
physician; or
(D) A qualified patient
contracting with the patient's attending or alternate
physician and consulting physician to act outside of the
course and scope of the provider's capacity as an
employee or independent contractor of the sanctioning
health care provider.
(e) Actions taken pursuant to this chapter
shall not be grounds for revocation, limitation, suspension, or denial
of licenses under section 453‑8 or 460-12, so long as the health care
provider has complied fully with this chapter.
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