NY State Senate Bill 2015-S2547

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to health
Jan 26, 2015	referred to health

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1480
Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§2981, 2982 & 4141, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S811
2011-2012: S4346
2013-2014: S2477, A10183
2017-2018: S5388, A7485
2019-2020: S3863, A6439
2021-2022: S5567, A8259
2023-2024: S4319

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides certain requirements for health care proxies and death certificates.

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S2547

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
requirements for health care proxies and death certificates

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To require a health care proxy to be notarized, requires life ending
decisions to be received from two medical doctors and requires death
that is caused by the withdrawal of nutrition or hydration to be
stated on death certificate.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one amends subdivision heading and paragraph (a) of
subdivision 2 of section 2981 of the public health law, as added by
chapter 752 of the laws of 1990 requiring a health care proxy be sworn
to before a notary public.

Section two amends subdivision 2 of section 2982 of the public health
law requiring the agent in a life ending decision to receive written
opinion from two medical doctors, who are not the patients attending
physician.

Section three amends subdivision 4 of section 4141 of the public
health law by adding a new paragraph (e) to require that if a death

occurs as a result of a health care decision by a health care agent
and is caused by the withdrawal of nutrition or hydration be stated on
the death certificate.

Section four is an immediate effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

A health care proxy gives authority to an individual to make health
care decisions on one's behalf. A health care proxy should be
notarized to ensure that the wishes of the person who is ill are
carried out as intended. This bill will protect the most vulnerable
and disabled from malicious intent. This legislation would require the
agent of a life ending decision to get two independent written
opinions from two medical doctors who are not involved in the patients
care. This will ensure that the agent has the facts to make an
informed decision in determining the patients care. Having two medical
opinions will give the patient and his or her agent the proper medical
information to ensure that all health care options are explored. In
the case of death, the bill also requires that if death occurs as a
result of a health care decision by an agent that is caused by the
withdrawal of nutrition or hydration that this cause of death be
stated on the death certificate.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2014: A.10183 - Died Health/S.2477 - Died in Health;
2012: S.4346 - Referred to Health
2011: S.4346 - Referred to Health
2010: S.811 - Referred to Health/A.5664 - Referred to Health
2009: S.811 - Referred to Health/A.S564 Referred to Health


2008: S.7266 - Referred to Health

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Immediately.

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2547

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 26, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  requirements  for
  health care proxies and death certificates

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The subdivision heading and paragraph (a) of subdivision  2
of section 2981 of the public health law, as added by chapter 752 of the
laws of 1990, are amended to read as follows:
  Health  care  proxy; execution[; witnesses]. (a) A competent adult may
appoint a health care agent by a health care proxy, signed and dated  by
the  adult  [in  the presence of two adult witnesses who shall also sign
the proxy] AND SWORN TO BEFORE A NOTARY PUBLIC.  Another person may sign
and date the health care proxy for the adult if the adult is  unable  to
do  so, at the adult's direction and in the adult's presence, and in the
presence of [two adult witnesses who shall sign the proxy. The witnesses
shall state that the principal appeared to execute the  proxy  willingly
and  free  from  duress.  The person appointed as agent shall not act as
witness to execution of the health care proxy] A NOTARY PUBLIC AND SWORN
TO BEFORE THE NOTARY PUBLIC.
  S 2. Subdivision 2 of section  2982  of  the  public  health  law,  as
amended  by  chapter  230  of  the  laws  of 2004, is amended to read as
follows:
  2. Decision-making standard. After consultation with a licensed physi-
cian, registered nurse, licensed psychologist,  licensed  master  social
worker,  or  a  licensed  clinical  social  worker, the agent shall make
health care decisions: (a) in accordance with  the  principal's  wishes,
including  the  principal's  religious  and moral beliefs; or (b) if the
principal's wishes are not reasonably known and cannot  with  reasonable
diligence be ascertained, in accordance with the principal's best inter-
ests;  provided,  however,  that if the principal's wishes regarding the

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01060-01-5

S. 2547                             2

administration of artificial nutrition and hydration are not  reasonably
known  and  cannot  with  reasonable diligence be ascertained, the agent
shall not have the authority to make decisions regarding these measures;
PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THE  AGENT MAY NOT MAKE HEALTH CARE DECISIONS WHICH
WILL EVENTUALLY END THE LIFE OF A PERSON WITHOUT RECEIVING WRITTEN OPIN-
ION FROM TWO MEDICAL DOCTORS, WHO ARE NOT THE PERSON'S ATTENDING  PHYSI-
CIAN, STATING THAT THEY AGREE WITH THE HEALTH CARE DECISION.
  S 3. Subdivision 4 of section 4141 of the public health law is amended
by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
  (E)  WHERE  A  DEATH  IS  THE  RESULT OF THE HEALTH CARE DECISION OF A
HEALTH CARE AGENT WHICH CAUSED THE WITHDRAWAL OF NUTRITION OR HYDRATION,
IT SHALL BE STATED ON THE DEATH CERTIFICATE.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S2547

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S2547

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Sponsored By

Andrew J. Lanza

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S2547 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments