Bill > SB0033

This bill amends Michigan's Estates and Protected Individuals Code to modify rules about patient advocate designations, specifically addressing how such designations can handle life-sustaining treatment for pregnant patients. The bill allows a patient advocate designation to include specific instructions about life-sustaining treatment if the patient is pregnant when the designation becomes effective, effectively removing a previous prohibition on making medical treatment decisions that could result in the pregnant patient's death. The bill clarifies that a patient's pregnancy status does not limit their right to provide detailed instructions about their medical care through a patient advocate designation. Key provisions include allowing patients to specify their desired or undesired life-sustaining treatments while pregnant, maintaining the requirement that patient advocates must act in the patient's best interests and follow the patient's known desires, and ensuring that patient advocates cannot exercise powers the patient themselves could not exercise. The bill also preserves existing protections, such as requiring the patient advocate to sign an acceptance of their role and follow specific standards of care, while providing more flexibility in medical decision-making for pregnant patients.

Health and Social Services, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0033