BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SR 17| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: SR 17 Author: Jackson (D), Monning (D), and Wolk (D) Introduced:3/5/15 Vote: Majority SUBJECT: California Health Care Decisions Day SOURCE: Coalition for Compassionate Care of California DIGEST: This resolution recognizes April 16, 2015, as Health Care Decisions Day in California, urges all citizens to communicate their health care preferences and execute advance health care planning documents, and urges seriously ill persons to learn about the Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program. ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings: 1.The State of California places the highest priority on the health and well-being of all its citizens; and honoring patient preferences is a critical element in providing quality end-of-life care. 2.Every adult has the right to decide his/her own health care treatment, and, after discussions with loved ones about preferences, should appoint a person who he/she trusts as health care agent or surrogate in order to make health care decisions for him/her in the event of incapacity, by executing advance health care planning documents. SR 17 Page 2 3.It is also essential that all adults discuss their health care wishes with their health care providers, and provide their health care providers with copies of their advance health care planning documents so that their health care decisions can be honored if or when they become incapacitated. 4.It is important that seriously ill persons, or their designated health care agents or surrogates, work with their physicians and consider completing POLST forms if they want to avoid or receive any or all life-sustaining treatments, reside in a long-term care facility, or require long-term care services and might die within the next year. This resolution recognizes April 16, 2015, as Health Care Decisions Day in California, urges all citizens to communicate their health care preferences and execute advance health care planning documents, and urges seriously ill persons to learn about the POLST program. FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.:NoLocal: No SUPPORT: (Verified3/16/15) Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (source) OPPOSITION: (Verified3/16/15) None received SR 17 Page 3 Prepared by:Melissa Ward / SFA / (916) 651-1520 3/18/15 15:33:59 **** END ****