The New York State Senate

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

                                   30

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 9, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A. CAHILL, JAFFEE, SEAWRIGHT, ZEBROWSKI, BARRON,
  RAIA, BLAKE, GLICK, ARROYO, BICHOTTE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
  COOK, DICKENS -- 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

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

                                                           LBD00024-01-9

A. 30                               2

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, 2020.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.