Bill Text: NY S04319 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Provides certain requirements for health care proxies and death certificates.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO HEALTH [S04319 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S04319-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          4319

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 7, 2023
                                       ___________

        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:

     1    Section 1. The subdivision heading and paragraph (a) of subdivision  2
     2  of  section  2981 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 708 of
     3  the laws of 2019, are amended to read as follows:
     4    Health care proxy; execution[; witnesses]. (a) A competent  adult  may
     5  appoint  a health care agent by a health care proxy, signed and dated by
     6  the adult [in the presence of two adult witnesses who  shall  also  sign
     7  the proxy] and sworn to before a notary public.  Another person may sign
     8  and  date  the health care proxy for the adult if the adult is unable to
     9  do so, at the adult's direction and in the adult's presence, and in  the
    10  presence of [two adult witnesses who shall sign the proxy. The witnesses
    11  shall  state  that the principal appeared to execute the proxy willingly
    12  and free from duress. The person appointed as agent  shall  not  act  as
    13  witness to execution of the health care proxy] a notary public.
    14    §  2.  Subdivision  2  of  section  2982  of the public health law, as
    15  amended by chapter 230 of the laws  of  2004,  is  amended  to  read  as
    16  follows:
    17    2. Decision-making standard. After consultation with a licensed physi-
    18  cian,  registered  nurse,  licensed psychologist, licensed master social
    19  worker, or a licensed clinical  social  worker,  the  agent  shall  make
    20  health  care  decisions:  (a) in accordance with the principal's wishes,
    21  including the principal's religious and moral beliefs;  or  (b)  if  the
    22  principal's  wishes  are not reasonably known and cannot with reasonable
    23  diligence be ascertained, in accordance with the principal's best inter-
    24  ests; provided, however, that if the principal's  wishes  regarding  the
    25  administration  of artificial nutrition and hydration are not reasonably

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08644-01-3
        S. 4319                             2

     1  known and cannot with reasonable diligence  be  ascertained,  the  agent
     2  shall not have the authority to make decisions regarding these measures;
     3  provided,  however,  the  agent may not make health care decisions which
     4  will eventually end the life of a person without receiving written opin-
     5  ion  from two medical doctors, who are not the person's attending physi-
     6  cian, stating that they agree with the health care decision.
     7    § 3. Subdivision 4 of section 4141 of the public health law is amended
     8  by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
     9    (e) Where a death is the result of  the  health  care  decision  of  a
    10  health care agent which caused the withdrawal of nutrition or hydration,
    11  it shall be stated on the death certificate.
    12    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.