Bill > S3588

Introduced Session

This bill waives the 15 day waiting period for medical aid in dying under certain circumstances. Under current law, in order to receive a prescription for medication that a qualified terminally ill patient may choose to self-administer pursuant to P.L.2019, c.59 (C.26:16-1 et al.), the patient is to make two oral requests and one written request for the medication to the patient's attending physician, subject to the following requirements, with at least 15 days elapsing between the first and second oral requests, and between the first oral request and the issuance of a prescription for the medication. Additionally, at least 48 hours must elapse between the receipt of the written request, which may be submitted at any time, and issuance of the prescription. This bill waives the 15-day waiting periods in the case of a patient who, based on reasonable medical certainty, is not expected to survive for 15 days. The attending physician will be required to document the medical basis for the determination that the patient is not expected to survive for 15 days. The bill retains the 48-hour waiting period between submission of a written request and the issuance of a prescription for medical aid in dying medication.

Committee Categories

John Burzichelli (D)*,  Patrick Diegnan (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 09/19/2024)

Official Document