BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                   SCR 55|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                         |
          |1020 N Street, Suite 524          |                         |
          |(916) 651-1520         Fax: (916) |                         |
          |327-4478                          |                         |
           ------------------------------------------------------------ 
           
                                         
                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SCR 55
          Author:   Wolk (D)
          Amended:  As introduced
          Vote:     21

           
          WITHOUT REFERENCE TO COMMITTEE OR FILE


           SUBJECT  :    Health Care Decisions Week

           SOURCE  :     California Coalition for Compassionate Care


           DIGEST  :    This resolution recognizes the week of October  
          25 through October 31, 2009, as Health Care Decisions Week  
          in California, and encourages all Californians to think,  
          and talk with loved ones, about their wishes for medical  
          care.

           ANALYSIS  :    Health care planning is a process, rather than  
          a single decision, that helps people think about the kind  
          of care they would want if they become seriously ill or  
          incapacitated, encourages them to talk with their loved  
          ones and doctors, and assists them in writing down their  
          wishes.  Advance directives give people the ability to  
          document their wishes and identify the person to speak for  
          them should they become unable to speak for themselves.  A  
          Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment form  
          complements an advance directive by taking an individual's  
          wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment and turning  
          those wishes into a medical order.

                                                           CONTINUED





                                                                SCR 55
                                                                Page  
          2

          The California Coalition for Compassionate Care and more  
          than 100 of the coalition's members representing health  
          care providers, consumers, regulators, and local coalitions  
          have joined together to sponsor a weeklong focus on health  
          care decisions. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Fiscal Com.:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  9/3/09)

          California Coalition for Compassionate Care (source) 


          DLW:nl  9/3/09   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

                                ****  END  ****