BILL NUMBER: AB 1676	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  434
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 30, 2005
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 30, 2005
	PASSED THE SENATE  SEPTEMBER 6, 2005
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  JUNE 1, 2005
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 27, 2005
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 13, 2005

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Richman and Nation

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2005

   An act to add Section 4806 to the Probate Code, relating to death.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1676, Richman   Advance Directives and Terminal Illness
Decisions Program.
    Existing law authorizes an adult to give an individual health
care instruction and to appoint a person to make health care
decisions for that individual in the event of his or her incapacity
pursuant to an advance health care directive.
   Existing law requires the Secretary of State to establish a
registry system through which a person who has executed a written
advance health care directive may register in a central information
center, information regarding the advance directive, making that
information available upon request to any health care provider.
   This bill would enact the Advance Directives and Terminal Illness
Decisions Program, which would require the Secretary of State to work
with the State Department of Health Services and the office of the
Attorney General to develop information about end of life care,
advance health care directives, and registering the advance health
care directives at the registry. It would also require that links to
this information and the registry be available on the Internet Web
sites of the Secretary of State, the State Department of Health
Services, the office of the Attorney General, the Department of
Managed Health Care, the Department of Insurance, the Board of
Registered Nursing, and the Medical Board of California.


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


  SECTION 1.  This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the
Advance Directives and Terminal Illness Decisions Program.
  SEC. 2.  The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (a) The purpose of this act is to increase communication of end of
life issues between individuals, families, and health care
providers.
   (b) Palliative care, including treatment options for pain, are
important alternatives for patients and the health care system.
  SEC. 3.  Section 4806 is added to the Probate Code, to read:
   4806.  (a) The Secretary of State shall work with the State
Department of Health Services and the office of the Attorney General
to develop information about end of life care, advance health care
directives, and registration of the advance health care directives at
the registry established pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section
4800. This information shall be developed utilizing existing
information developed by the office of the Attorney General.
   (b) Links to the information specified in subdivision (a) and to
the registry shall be available on the Web sites of the Secretary of
State, the State Department of Health Services, the office of the
Attorney General, the Department of Managed Health Care, the
Department of Insurance, the Board of Registered Nursing, and the
Medical Board of California.