Right To Die Becomes Law In California -2015

Q. My father is 89 and suffers from end-stage cancer. The doctors have told us that his condition will not improve and is terminal. My father is in severe and unremitting pain. He is has gone through two rounds of Chemotherapy but the cancer keeps spreading. The Oncologist told us that in all probability he has less then eight months to live. My father is not a religious man, he says to me that has lived a full life and that he sees no sense in prolonging his life and suffering.

Thankfully, the cancer did not affect his brain. The psychologist tested my father for dementia and has informed us he still has the mental capacity to make informed choices regarding his health. He has signed a DNR, but I was told that this just means he has to wait to die, unless he is being kept alive by artificial means. He is not currently on a respirator or any other medical device that is keeping him alive.

We were told Oregon is a “right-to-die” state, but there is a residency requirement and by the time he would relocate and qualify as a resident he will have already passed. I heard that California might be turning into a “right-to-die state”?

A. Proponents of the right-to-die movement believe that terminally ill patients have a fundamental right to choose how and under what circumstances they wish to die. From advance directives to physician-assisted dying, the choice to die with dignity and without unnecessary and prolonged pain and suffering belongs to the person dying and no one else, assuming of course the person has the mental capacity to make such a determination. In short, a mentally competent patient should have the right to determine his or her own end-of-life care. It is a matter of personal dignity.

Up until recently, the only states that have a right to die law are Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. In early 2015, the California Medical Association reversed its three-decade opposition to physician-assisted suicide, which no doubt carried weight in persuading the Governor to consider making California a right to die state as well.

In September of 2015, the California legislature approved the “End of Life Option Act” that would grant California’s terminally ill patients with the legal right to end ones life, so long as the death-inducing process was administered under a qualified physician’s care and other strict oversight, qualifications and requirements.

One month later in October 2015, Governor Brown of California signed the “End of Life Option Act” into law. The full details of the new law and its implementation are currently being worked out.

Finally, it appears your father will likely have the legal right to end his life, but it is uncertain whether the regulations will be available in time for him to actually have it administered given that the law has just passed.

The pre-published version of SB 128 signed into law states in pertinent part:

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

PART 1.85. End of Life Option Act

443. This part shall be known and may be cited as the End of Life Option Act.

443.1. As used in this part, the following definitions shall apply:(a) “Adult” means an individual 18 years of age or older.(b) “Aid-in-dying drug” means a drug determined and prescribed by a physician for a qualified individual, which the qualified individual may choose to self-administer to bring about his or her death due to a terminal disease.(c) “Attending physician” means the physician who has primary responsibility for the health care of an individual and treatment of the individual’s terminal disease.(d) “Capacity to make medical decisions” means that, in the opinion of an individual’s attending physician, consulting physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist, pursuant to Section 4609 of the Probate Code, the individual has the ability to understand the nature and consequences of a health care decision, the ability to understand its significant benefits, risks, and alternatives, and the ability to make and communicate an informed decision to health care providers, including communication through a person familiar with the individual’s manner of communicating, if that person is available.(e) “Consulting physician” means a physician who is independent from the attending physician and who is qualified by specialty or experience to make a professional diagnosis and prognosis regarding an individual’s terminal disease.(f) “Department” means the State Department of Public Health.(g) “End of Life Option Act Checklist” means a checklist, as described in Section 443.6, identifying each and every requirement that must be fulfilled by a health care provider to be in good faith compliance with the End of Life Option Act should the health care provider choose to participate.(h) “Health care provider” or “provider of health care” means any person licensed or certified pursuant to Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) of the Business and Professions Code; any person licensed pursuant to the Osteopathic Initiative Act or the Chiropractic Initiative Act; any person certified pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 1797) of this code; and any clinic, health dispensary, or health facility licensed pursuant to Division 2 (commencing with Section 1200) of this code.(i) “Informed decision” means a decision by an individual with a terminal disease to request and obtain a prescription for a drug that the individual may self-administer to end the individual’s life, that is based on an understanding and acknowledgment of the relevant facts, and that is made after being fully informed by the attending physician of all of the following:(1) The individual’s medical diagnosis and prognosis.(2) The potential risks associated with taking the drug to be prescribed.(3) The probable result of taking the drug to be prescribed.(4) The possibility that the individual may choose not to obtain the drug or may obtain the drug but may decide not to ingest it.(5) The feasible alternatives or additional treatment opportunities, including, but not limited to, comfort care, hospice care, palliative care, and pain control.(j) “Medically confirmed” means the medical diagnosis and prognosis of the attending physician has been confirmed by a consulting physician who has examined the individual and the individual’s relevant medical records.(k) “Mental health specialist assessment” means one or more consultations between an individual and a mental health specialist for the purpose of determining that the individual has the capacity to make medical decisions and is not suffering from impaired judgment due to a mental disorder.(l) “Mental health specialist” means a psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist.(m) “Physician” means a doctor of medicine or osteopathy currently licensed to practice medicine in this state.(n) “Public place” means any street, alley, park, public building, any place of business or assembly open to or frequented by the public, and any other place that is open to the public view, or to which the public has access.(o) “Qualified individual” means an adult who has the capacity to make medical decisions and is a resident of California and has satisfied the requirements of this part in order to obtain a prescription for a drug to end his or her life.(p) “Self-administer” means a qualified individual’s affirmative, conscious, and physical act of administering and ingesting the aid-in-dying drug to bring about his or her own death.(q) “Terminal disease” means an incurable and irreversible disease that has been medically confirmed and will, within reasonable medical judgment, result in death within six months.

443.2. (a) A qualified individual who is an adult with the capacity to make medical decisions and with a terminal disease may make a request to receive a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug if all of the following conditions are satisfied:(1) The individual’s attending physician has diagnosed the individual with a terminal disease.(2) The individual has voluntarily expressed the wish to receive a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug.(3) The individual is a resident of California and is able to establish residency through any of the following means:(A) Possession of a California driver license or other identification issued by the State of California.(B) Registration to vote in California.(C) Evidence that the person owns or leases property in California.(D) Filing of a California tax return for the most recent tax year.(4) The individual documents his or her request pursuant to the requirements set forth in Section 443.3.(5) The individual has the physical and mental ability to self-administer the aid-in-dying drug.(b) A person shall not be considered a “qualified individual” under the provisions of this part solely because of age or disability.(c) A request for a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug under this part shall be made solely and directly by the individual diagnosed with the terminal disease and shall not be made on behalf of the patient, including, but not limited to, through a power of attorney, an advance health care directive, a conservator, health care agent, surrogate, or any other legally recognized health care decisionmaker.

443.3. (a) An individual seeking to obtain a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug pursuant to this part shall submit two oral requests, a minimum of 15 days apart, and a written request to his or her attending physician. The attending physician shall directly, and not through a designee, receive all three requests required pursuant to this section.(b) A valid written request for an aid-in-dying drug under subdivision (a) shall meet all of the following conditions:(1) The request shall be in substantially the form described in Section 443.10. 443.11.(2) The request shall be signed and dated, in the presence of two witnesses in accordance with paragraph (3), by the individual seeking the aid-in-dying drug.(3) The request shall be witnessed by at least two other adult persons who, in the presence of the individual, shall attest that to the best of their knowledge and belief that the individual is all of the following:(A) A person who has the capacity to make medical decisions.(B) Acting voluntarily.(C) Not being coerced to make or sign the request.(c) Only one of the two witnesses at the time the written request is signed may:(1) Be related to the qualified individual by blood, marriage, registered domestic partnership, or adoption or be entitled to a portion of the individual’s estate upon death.(2) Own, operate, or be employed at a health care facility where the individual is receiving medical treatment or resides.(d) The attending physician, consulting physician, or mental health specialist of the individual shall not be one of the witnesses required pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b).

443.4. (a) An individual may at any time withdraw or rescind his or her request for an aid-in-dying drug, or decide not to ingest an aid-in-dying drug, without regard to the individual’s mental state.(b) A prescription for an aid-in-dying drug provided under this part may not be written without the attending physician directly, and not through a designee, offering the individual an opportunity to withdraw or rescind the request.

443.5. (a) Before prescribing an aid-in-dying drug, the attending physician shall do all of the following:(1) Make the initial determination of all of the following:(A) (i) Whether the requesting adult has the capacity to make medical decisions.(ii) If there are indications of a mental disorder, the physician shall refer the individual for a mental health specialist assessment.(iii) If a mental health specialist assessment referral is made, no aid-in-dying drugs shall be prescribed until the mental health specialist determines that the individual has the capacity to make medical decisions and is not suffering from impaired judgment due to a mental disorder.(B) Whether the requesting adult has a terminal disease.(C) Whether the requesting adult has voluntarily made the request for an aid-in-dying drug pursuant to Sections 443.2 and 443.3.(D) Whether the requesting adult is a qualified individual pursuant to subdivision (m) (o) of Section 443.1.(2) Confirm that the individual is making an informed decision by discussing with him or her all of the following:(A) His or her medical diagnosis and prognosis.(B) The potential risks associated with ingesting the requested aid-in-dying drug.(C) The probable result of ingesting the aid-in-dying drug.(D) The possibility that he or she may choose to obtain the aid-in-dying drug but not take it.(E) The feasible alternatives or additional treatment options, including, but not limited to, comfort care, hospice care, palliative care, and pain control.(3) Refer the individual to a consulting physician for medical confirmation of the diagnosis and prognosis, and for a determination that the individual has the capacity to make medical decisions and has complied with the provisions of this part.(4) Confirm that the qualified individual’s request does not arise from coercion or undue influence by another person by discussing with the qualified individual, outside of the presence of any other persons, except for an interpreter as required pursuant to this part, whether or not the qualified individual is feeling coerced or unduly influenced by another person.(5) Counsel the qualified individual about the importance of all of the following:(A) Having another person present when he or she ingests the aid-in-dying drug prescribed pursuant to this part.(B) Not ingesting the aid-in-dying drug in a public place.(C) Notifying the next of kin of his or her request for an aid-in-dying drug. A qualified individual who declines or is unable to notify next of kin shall not have his or her request denied for that reason.(D) Participating in a hospice program.(E) Maintaining the aid-in-dying drug in a safe and secure location until the time that the qualified individual will ingest it.(6) Inform the individual that he or she may withdraw or rescind the request for an aid-in-dying drug at any time and in any manner.(7) Offer the individual an opportunity to withdraw or rescind the request for an aid-in-dying drug before prescribing the aid-in-dying drug.(8) Verify, immediately prior to before writing the prescription for an aid-in-dying drug, that the qualified individual is making an informed decision.(9) Confirm that all requirements are met and all appropriate steps are carried out in accordance with this part before writing a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug.(10) Fulfill the record documentation required under Sections 443.7 and 443.18. 443.9 and 443.19.(11) Complete the End of Life Option Act Checklist, as described in Section 443.6, and include it in the individual’s medical record.(b) If the conditions set forth in subdivision (a) are satisfied, the attending physician may deliver the aid-in-dying drug in any of the following ways:(1) Dispensing the aid-in-dying drug directly, including ancillary medication intended to minimize the qualified individual’s discomfort, if the attending physician meets all of the following criteria:(A) Is authorized to dispense medicine under California law.(B) Has a current United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) certificate.(C) Complies with any applicable administrative rule or regulation.(2) With the qualified individual’s written consent, contacting a pharmacist, informing the pharmacist of the prescriptions, and delivering the written prescriptions personally, by mail, or electronically to the pharmacist, who may dispense the drug to the qualified individual, the attending physician, or a person expressly designated by the qualified individual and with the designation delivered to the pharmacist in writing or verbally.(c) Delivery of the dispensed drug to the qualified individual, the attending physician, or a person expressly designated by the qualified individual may be made by personal delivery, or, with a signature required on delivery, by United Parcel Service, United States Postal Service, Federal Express, or by messenger service.

443.6. The End of Life Option Act Checklist shall be in substantially the following form:

443.7. Before a qualified individual obtaining obtains an aid-in-dying drug from the attending physician, the consulting physician shall perform all of the following:(a) Examine the individual and his or her relevant medical records.(b) Confirm in writing the attending physician’s diagnosis and prognosis.(c) Determine that the individual has the capacity to make medical decisions, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision.(d) If there are indications of a mental disorder, the consulting physician shall refer the individual for a mental health specialist assessment.(e) Fulfill the record documentation required under this part.

443.7.443.8. Upon referral from the attending or consulting physician pursuant to this part, the mental health specialist shall:(a) Examine the qualified individual and his or her relevant medical records.(b) Determine that the individual has the mental capacity to make medical decisions, act voluntarily, and make an informed decision.(c) Determine that the individual is not suffering from impaired judgment due to a mental disorder.(d) Fulfill the record documentation requirements of this part.

443.8.443.9. All of the following shall be documented in the individual’s medical record:(a) All oral requests for aid-in-dying drugs.(b) All written requests for aid-in-dying drugs.(c) The attending physician’s diagnosis and prognosis, and the determination that a qualified individual has the capacity to make medical decisions, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision, or that the attending physician has determined that the individual is not a qualified individual.(d) The consulting physician’s diagnosis and prognosis, and verification that the qualified individual has the capacity to make medical decisions, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision, or that the consulting physician has determined that the individual is not a qualified individual.(e) A report of the outcome and determinations made during a mental health specialist’s assessment, if performed.(f) The attending physician’s offer to the qualified individual to withdraw or rescind his or her request at the time of the individual’s second oral request.(g) A note by the attending physician indicating that all requirements under Sections 443.5 and 443.6 443.7 have been met and indicating the steps taken to carry out the request, including a notation of the aid-in-dying drug prescribed.

443.9.443.10. A qualified individual may not receive a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug pursuant to this part unless he or she has made an informed decision. Immediately before writing a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug under this part, the attending physician shall verify that the individual is making an informed decision.

443.10.443.11. (a) A request for an aid-in-dying drug as authorized by this part shall be in substantially the following form:REQUEST FOR AN AID-IN-DYING DRUG TO END MY LIFE IN A HUMANE AND DIGNIFIED MANNER I, ………………………………………………, am an adult of sound mind and a resident of the State of California.I am suffering from ……………., which my attending physician has determined is in its terminal phase and which has been medically confirmed.I have been fully informed of my diagnosis and prognosis, the nature of the aid-in-dying drug to be prescribed and potential associated risks, the expected result, and the feasible alternatives or additional treatment options, including comfort care, hospice care, palliative care, and pain control.I request that my attending physician prescribe an aid-in-dying drug that will end my life in a humane and dignified manner if I choose to take it, and I authorize my attending physician to contact any pharmacist about my request.INITIAL ONE:………… I have informed one or more members of my family of my decision and taken their opinions into consideration.………… I have decided not to inform my family of my decision.………… I have no family to inform of my decision.I understand that I have the right to withdraw or rescind this request at any time.I understand the full import of this request and I expect to die if I take the aid-in-dying drug to be prescribed. My attending physician has counseled me about the possibility that my death may not be immediately upon the consumption of the drug.I make this request voluntarily, without reservation, and without being coerced.

Signed:……………………………………….Dated:………………………………………..

DECLARATION OF WITNESSESWe declare that the person signing this request:(a) is personally known to us or has provided proof of identity;(b) signed this request in our presence;(c) is an individual whom we believe to be of sound mind and not under duress, fraud, or undue influence; and(d) is not an individual for whom either of us is the attending physician, consulting physician, or mental health specialist.……………………….Witness 1/Date……………………….Witness 2/DateNOTE: Only one of the two witnesses may be a relative (by blood, marriage, registered domestic partnership, or adoption) of the person signing this request or be entitled to a portion of the person’s estate upon death. Only one of the two witnesses may own, operate, or be employed at a health care facility where the person is a patient or resident.(b) (1) The written language of the request shall be written in the same translated language as any conversations, consultations, or interpreted conversations or consultations between a patient and his or her attending or consulting physicians.(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the written request may be prepared in English even when the conversations or consultations or interpreted conversations or consultations were conducted in a language other than English if the English language form includes an attached interpreter’s declaration that is signed under penalty of perjury. The interpreter’s declaration shall state words to the effect that:I (INSERT NAME OF INTERPRETER), am fluent in English and (INSERT TARGET LANGUAGE).On (insert date) at approximately (insert time), I read the “Request for an Aid-In-Dying Drug to End My Life” to (insert name of individual/patient) in (insert target language).Mr./Ms. (insert name of patient/qualified individual) affirmed to me that he/she understood the content of this form and affirmed his/her desire to sign this form under his/her own power and volition and that the request to sign the form followed consultations with an attending and consulting physician.I declare that I am fluent in English and (insert target language) and further declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.Executed at (insert city, county, and state) on this (insert day of month) of (insert month), (insert year).X______Interpreter signatureX______Interpreter printed nameX______Interpreter address(3) An interpreter whose services are provided pursuant to paragraph (2) shall not be related to the qualified individual by blood, marriage, registered domestic partnership, or adoption or be entitled to a portion of the person’s estate upon death. An interpreter whose services are provided pursuant to paragraph (2) shall meet the standards promulgated by the California Healthcare Interpreting Association or the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care or other standards deemed acceptable by the department for health care providers in California.

443.11.443.12. (a) A provision in a contract, will, or other agreement executed on or after January 1, 2016, whether written or oral, to the extent the provision would affect whether a person may make, withdraw, or rescind a request for an aid-in-dying drug is not valid.(b) An obligation owing under any contract executed on or after January 1, 2016, may not be conditioned or affected by a qualified individual making, withdrawing, or rescinding a request for an aid-in-dying drug.

443.12.443.13. (a) (1) The sale, procurement, or issuance of a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy, health care service plan contract, or health benefit plan, or the rate charged for a policy or plan contract may not be conditioned upon or affected by a person making or rescinding a request for an aid-in-dying drug.(2) Pursuant to Section 443.18, death resulting from the self-administration of an aid-in-dying drug is not suicide, and therefore health and insurance coverage shall not be exempted on that basis.(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a qualified individual’s act of self-administering an aid-in-dying drug may shall not have an effect upon a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy other than that of a natural death from the underlying disease.(c) An insurance carrier shall not provide any information in communications made to an individual about the availability of an aid-in-dying drug absent a request by the individual or his or her attending physician at the behest of the individual. Any communication shall not include both the denial of treatment and information as to the availability of aid-in-dying drug coverage. For the purposes of this subdivision, “insurance carrier” means a health care service plan as defined in Section 1345 of this code or a carrier of health insurance as defined in Section 106 of the Insurance Code.

443.13.443.14. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not be subject to civil, criminal, administrative, employment, or contractual liability or professional disciplinary action for participating in good faith compliance with this part, including an individual who is present when a qualified individual self-administers the prescribed aid-in-dying drug.(b) A health care provider or professional organization or association shall not subject an individual to censure, discipline, suspension, loss of license, loss of privileges, loss of membership, or other penalty for participating in good faith compliance with this part or for refusing to participate in accordance with subdivision (e).(c) Notwithstanding any other law, a health care provider shall not be subject to civil, criminal, administrative, disciplinary, employment, credentialing, professional discipline, contractual liability, or medical staff action, sanction, or penalty or other liability for participating in this part, including, but not limited to, determining the diagnosis or prognosis of an individual, determining the capacity of an individual for purposes of qualifying for the act, providing information to an individual regarding this part, and providing a referral to a physician who participates in this part.(d) (1) A request by a qualified individual to an attending physician to provide an aid-in-dying drug in good faith compliance with the provisions of this part shall not provide the sole basis for the appointment of a guardian or conservator.(2) No actions taken in compliance with the provisions of this part shall constitute or provide the basis for any claim of neglect or elder abuse for any purpose of law.(e) (1) Participation in activities authorized pursuant to this part shall be voluntary. Notwithstanding Sections 442 to 442.7, inclusive, a person or entity that elects, for reasons of conscience, morality, or ethics, not to engage in activities authorized pursuant to this part is not required to take any action in support of an individual’s decision under this part.(2) Notwithstanding any other law, a health care provider is not subject to civil, criminal, administrative, disciplinary, employment, credentialing, professional discipline, contractual liability, or medical staff action, sanction, or penalty or other liability for refusing to participate in activities authorized under the End of Life Option Act, this part, including, but not limited to, refusing to inform a patient regarding his or her rights under the End of Life Option Act this part, and not referring an individual to a physician who participates in activities authorized under the End of Life Option Act. this part.(3) If a health care provider is unable or unwilling to carry out a qualified individual’s request under this part and the qualified individual transfers care to a new health care provider, the individual may request a copy of his or her medical records pursuant to law.

443.14.443.15. (a) Subject to subdivision (b), notwithstanding any other law, a health care provider may prohibit its employees, independent contractors, or other persons or entities, including other health care providers, from participating in activities under this part while on premises owned or under the management or direct control of that prohibiting health care provider or while acting within the course and scope of any employment by, or contract with, the prohibiting health care provider.(b) A health care provider that elects to prohibit its employees, independent contractors, or other persons or entities, including health care providers, from participating in activities under this part, as described in subdivision (a), shall first give notice of the policy prohibiting participation under this part to the individual or entity. A health care provider that fails to provide notice to an individual or entity in compliance with this subdivision shall not be entitled to enforce such a policy against that individual or entity.(c) Subject to compliance with subdivision (b), the prohibiting health care provider may take action, including, but not limited to, the following, as applicable, against any individual or entity that violates this policy:(1) Loss of privileges, loss of membership, or other action authorized by the bylaws or rules and regulations of the medical staff.(2) Suspension, loss of employment, or other action authorized by the policies and practices of the prohibiting health care provider.(3) Termination of any lease or other contract between the prohibiting health care provider and the individual or entity that violates the policy.(4) Imposition of any other nonmonetary remedy provided for in any lease or contract between the prohibiting health care provider and the individual or entity in violation of the policy.(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent, or to allow a prohibiting health care provider to prohibit any other health care provider, employee, independent contractor, or other person or entity from any of the following:(1) Participating, or entering into an agreement to participate, in activities under this part, while on premises that are not owned or under the management or direct control of the prohibiting provider or while acting outside the course and scope of the participant’s duties as an employee of, or an independent contractor for, the prohibiting health care provider.(2) Participating, or entering into an agreement to participate, in activities under this part as an attending physician or consulting physician while on premises that are not owned or under the management or direct control of the prohibiting provider.(e) In taking actions pursuant to subdivision (c), a health care provider shall comply with all procedures required by law, its own policies or procedures, and any contract with the individual or entity in violation of the policy, as applicable.(f) For purposes of this section:(1) “Notice” means a separate statement in writing advising of the prohibiting health care provider policy with respect to participating in activities under this part.(2) “Participating, or entering into an agreement to participate, in activities under this part” means doing or entering into an agreement to do any one or more of the following:(A) Performing the duties of an attending physician as specified in Section 443.5.(B) Performing the duties of a consulting physician as specified in Section 443.6. 443.7.(C) Performing the duties of a mental health specialist, in the circumstance that a referral to one is made.(D) Delivering the prescription for, dispensing, or delivering the dispensed aid-in-dying drug pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of, and subdivision (c) of, Section 443.5.(E) Being present when the qualified individual takes the aid-in-dying drug prescribed pursuant to this part.(3) “Participating, or entering into an agreement to participate, in activities under this part” does not include doing, or entering into an agreement to do, any of the following:(A) Diagnosing whether a patient has a terminal disease, informing the patient of the medical prognosis, or determining whether a patient has the capacity to make decisions.(B) Providing information to a patient about this part.(C) Providing a patient, upon the patient’s request, with a referral to another health care provider for the purposes of participating in the activities authorized by this part.(g) Any action taken by a prohibiting provider pursuant to this section shall not be reportable under Sections 800 to 809.9, inclusive, of the Business and Professions Code. The fact that a health care provider participates in activities under this part shall not be the sole basis for a complaint or report by another health care provider of unprofessional or dishonorable conduct under Sections 800 to 809.9, inclusive, of the Business and Professions Code.(h) Nothing in this part shall prevent a health care provider from providing an individual with health care services that do not constitute participation in this part.

443.15.443.16. (a) A health care provider may not be sanctioned for any of the following:(1) Making an initial determination pursuant to the standard of care that an individual has a terminal disease and informing him or her of the medical prognosis.(2) Providing information about the End of Life Option Act to a patient upon the request of the individual.(3) Providing an individual, upon request, with a referral to another physician.(b) A health care provider that prohibits activities under this part in accordance with Section 443.14 443.15 shall not sanction an individual health care provider for contracting with a qualified individual to engage in activities authorized by this part if the individual health care provider is acting outside of the course and scope of his or her capacity as an employee or independent contractor of the prohibiting health care provider.(c) Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this section, the immunities and prohibitions on sanctions of a health care provider are solely reserved for actions taken pursuant to this part, and those health care providers may be sanctioned for conduct and actions not included and provided for in this part if the conduct and actions do not comply with the standards and practices set forth by the Medical Board of California.

443.16.443.17. (a) Knowingly altering or forging a request for an aid-in-dying drug to end an individual’s life without his or her authorization or concealing or destroying a withdrawal or rescission of a request for an aid-in-dying drug is punishable as a felony if the act is done with the intent or effect of causing the individual’s death.(b) Knowingly coercing or exerting undue influence on an individual to request an aid-in-dying drug for the purpose of ending his or her life or to destroy a withdrawal or rescission of a request is punishable as a felony.(c) For purposes of this section, “knowingly” has the meaning provided in Section 7 of the Penal Code.(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit civil liability.(e) The penalties in this section do not preclude criminal penalties applicable under any law for conduct inconsistent with the provisions of this section.

443.17.443.18. Nothing in this part may be construed to authorize a physician or any other person to end an individual’s life by lethal injection, mercy killing, or active euthanasia. Actions taken in accordance with this part shall not, for any purposes, constitute suicide, assisted suicide, homicide, or elder abuse under the law.

443.18.443.19. (a) The State Public Health Officer shall annually review a sample of records maintained pursuant to Section 443.8 443.9 and shall adopt regulations establishing additional reporting requirements for physicians and pharmacists pursuant to this part.(b) The reporting requirements shall be designed to collect information to determine utilization and compliance with this part. The information collected shall be confidential and shall be collected in a manner that protects the privacy of the patient, the patient’s family, and any medical provider or pharmacist involved with the patient under the provisions of this part.(c) Based on the information collected, the department shall provide an annual compliance and utilization statistical report aggregated by age, gender, race, ethnicity, and primary language spoken at home and other data the department may determine relevant. The department shall make the report public within 30 days of completion of each annual report.(d) The State Public Health Officer shall make available to health care providers the End of Life Option Act Checklist, as described in Section 443.6, by posting it on its Internet Web site.

443.19.443.20. A person who has custody or control of any unused aid-in-dying drugs prescribed pursuant to this part after the death of the patient shall personally deliver the unused aid-in-dying drugs for disposal by delivering it to the nearest qualified facility that properly disposes of controlled substances, or if none is available, shall dispose of it by lawful means in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the California State Board of Pharmacy or a federal Drug Enforcement Administration approved take-back program.

443.20.443.21. Any governmental entity that incurs costs resulting from a qualified individual terminating his or her life pursuant to the provisions of this part in a public place shall have a claim against the estate of the qualified individual to recover those costs and reasonable attorney fees related to enforcing the claim.

SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 443.18 443.19 to the Health and Safety Code, imposes a limitation on the public’s right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:(a) Any limitation to public access to personally identifiable patient data collected pursuant to Section 443.18 443.19 of the Health and Safety Code as proposed to be added by this act is necessary to protect the privacy rights of the patient and his or her family.(b) The interests in protecting the privacy rights of the patient and his or her family in this situation strongly outweigh the public interest in having access to personally identifiable data relating to services.(c) The statistical report to be made available to the public pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 443.18 443.19 of the Health and Safety Code is sufficient to satisfy the public’s right to access.SEC. 3. The provisions of this part are severable. If any provision of this part or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.SEC. 4. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.