The New York State Senate

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

                                  10376

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             April 18, 2018
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Health

AN  ACT in relation to requiring the commissioner of health to conduct a
  study relating to medical aid in dying

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

  Section  1.  (a)  The  commissioner of health is hereby authorized and
directed  to  study  the  issues,  implications,  practices,   licensure
requirements and other topics related to medical aid in dying.
  (b)  The  study  shall  include,  but not be limited to, the following
topics related to medical aid in dying:  statutes  currently  in  effect
across  the United States and elsewhere; program implementation; written
and oral request processes; rescission of a patient's request;  existing
clinical  criteria  used by physicians to determine whether a patient is
eligible; the specific type of physicians or medical  professionals  who
are  legally  authorized  to respond to a patient's inquiries or request
for the end-of-life medication or assistance; the physicians'  responsi-
bilities  and  duties;  the  consulting physician's responsibilities and
duties; the referral process to mental health professionals; the type of
medical record documentation requirements; how physicians respond  to  a
patient's inquiry; how physicians assess patients' decision making capa-
bilities;  the  use  of  an  interpreter  in  circumstances where one is
requested, required or appropriate;  procedures  administered  including
the  types and doses of prescription medications provided if any; infor-
mation statistical and other regarding people who have used medical  aid
in  dying;  an  appraisal  of  reported abuse, if any, of medical aid in
dying; regular reporting requirements; issues involving health  or  life
insurance  coverage;  an  examination of current hospice services across
New York state; and any other topic or issue required  to  conduct  this
study.
  (c)  The commissioner of health shall submit a report including recom-
mendations and findings based on this study to the governor, the  tempo-
rary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the chairs
of  the  senate and assembly standing committees on health no later than
December 31, 2019.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13227-07-8