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News Release
For Immediate Release
November 21, 2006
Greenleaf Health Care Decision Making
Bill Passes House
HARRISBURG – On Monday the House of Representatives
unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Senator
Stewart J. Greenleaf (R-Montgomery/Bucks) to improve
Pennsylvania's health care decision making law. Senate Bill
628 amends the Probate Code to further provide a statutory
means for competent adults to control their health care
either directly through instructions written in advance
(living wills) or indirectly through a health care agent
(health care powers of attorney) or, when there is no
advance directive, through a health care representative
(usually a member of the patient's family).
Senator Greenleaf indicated that "Senate Bill 628 is
important legislation. It addresses end-of-life issues that
all Pennsylvanians face. Physicians, their patients and
their patients' families must deal with these issues every
day and this legislation will go a long way in helping them
make difficult decisions."
The legislation includes new sample forms for living
wills and health care powers of attorney and gives
physicians and patients' family members guidance when
patients have not executed an advance directive. According
to Senator Greenleaf, "The new forms provide the individual
with more background information about the purposes of
advance directives such as living wills and health care
powers of attorney, how and why they would be implemented,
and flexibility in expressing specific wishes regarding
life-sustaining medical procedures."
The legislation is based on the recommendations of the
Joint State Government Commission's Advisory Committee on
Decedents' Estates Laws. The commission is the General
Assembly's central research agency and it does much of its
work through blue-ribbon advisory panels. In addition to
the advisory committee's recommendations, this legislative
session a working group was established to discuss the
legislation and reach a consensus. In addition to
legislative staff, the working group was comprised of
individuals representing the Governor's office, the medical
community, the legal profession, the disabled, and the
faith-based community.
Senator Greenleaf said that "Senate Bill 628 reflects a
consensus based on many hours of meetings, telephone
conference calls, drafts and re-drafts. The result of this
work is a better bill. With the enactment of Senate Bill
628, Pennsylvania's law will not only give people more
information and tools to make decisions in advance about
their health care but will also do a better job of
protecting the disabled."
The bill now goes to Governor Rendell for his approval.
CONTACT:
Gregg Warner
(717) 787-6599
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Harrisburg Office
Senate Box 203012
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3012
(717) 787-6599
800-848-5013
(717) 783-7328 Fax |
District Office
711 North York Road
Suite 1
Willow Grove, PA 19090-2124
(215) 657-7700
800-924-3300
(215) 657-1885 Fax
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