establish an end-of-life option for terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less

 

At the end-of-life suffering can arise and occur in numerous ways. From loss of sense of self, loss of control, fear of

the future, and/or fear of being a burden upon others, as well as physical and non-physical symptoms. Those facing a

terminal illness face myriad fears and concerns. This bill aims to introduce a final measure that may allow a patient to

face their end of life with dignity. This bill will allow doctors to work with their patients and decide with them what

is their best course of treatment, subtracting the State from this decision.

 

Today if someone in Minnesota is diagnosed with a terminal illness and is given a prognosis of less than six months,

their options can feel overwhelming and limited. There may be a common path for them to follow. They may begin to seek a

miracle; they may begin aggressive or experimental treatment. Watching a loved one as they slowly weaken and become less

like themselves because of their illness and treatment is painful. This bill will aim to give another possible option.

Passing a law allowing Physician Assisted Suicide would give patients the option to choose to die with dignity.

Patients with a prognosis of six months or less would have the ability to request medical aid in dying medication from

their physician. The patient must make this request twice on two separate occasions fourteen days apart before the next

steps may be taken. After the patients request, they must be evaluated by a licensed mental health consultant and be

determined to be mentally capable of making this decision and is not irrationally making this decision. The physician is

at any time allowed to refuse to administer the treatment on conscientious grounds.

Today 6% of the United States of America live in an area where Physician Assisted Suicide is permitted. By the passage

of this bill, Minnesota will join the 11 other states in permitting terminally ill patients to decide their end-of-life

care alongside their physician.

 

Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) or Physician-Assisted Dying (PAD) is defined as a physician providing, at the patient’s

request, a prescription for a lethal dose of medication that the patient can self-administer by ingestion, with the

explicit intention of ending life.

Licensed mental health consultant is an individual who is licensed by the profession's licensing board as a:

Psychiatrist;

Psychologist;

Licensed independent clinical social worker;

Registered nurse who is certified as:

a clinical nurse specialist in child or adolescent, family, or adult psychiatric and mental health nursing by a national

nurse certification organization; or

a nurse practitioner in adult or family psychiatric and mental health nursing by a national nurse certification

organization; and

is competent, according to the laws governing the practice of their profession, to determine the mental capability of

individuals with a terminal disease.

Prognosis of six months or less means that a terminal disease will, within reasonable medical judgment, result in death

within six months.

Medical aid in dying medication is defined as a medication prescribed and dispensed by a physician that will cause the

peaceful death of the self-administer.

Mentally capable meaning that the individual requesting medical aid in dying medication has the ability to make an

informed decision.

 

The state would provide $200,000 to allow for the hiring of the necessary staff to perform data entry and any other

needed tasks. This amount is modeled after the Washington State law that was passed in 1997. The funding will come from

federal grants and other Minnesota healthcare funds.

 

Subd. 1.

A person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 2:

(1) intentionally alters or falsifies a request for medical aid in dying medication for another individual;

2) without authority of law, intentionally destroys, mutilates, or conceals another individual's rescission of a request

for medical aid in dying medication;

(3) compels another individual to request medical aid in dying medication through the use of coercion, undue influence,

harassment, duress, compulsion, or other enticement; or

(4) compels another individual to self-administer medical aid in dying medication through the use of coercion, undue

influence, harassment, duress, compulsion, or other enticement and murder in the first or second degree was not

committed as a result.

Subd. 2

(a) An individual who violates subdivision 1, clause (1) or (2), may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five

years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

(b) An individual who violates subdivision 1, clause (3), may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than ten years

or to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000, or both.

(c) An individual who violates subdivision 1, clause (4), may be sentenced to:

(1) imprisonment for not more than 20 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $40,000, or both; or

(2) imprisonment for not more than 25 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $50,000, or both, if the person

committed the violation through the use of force.

 

August 1st, 2026