SENATE BILL: Legalize Voluntary Death Act (Passed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

A bill to regulate and legalize euthanasia and voluntary death in Atlasia

Be it enacted in both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Legalize Voluntary Death Act

SECTION I: Definitions
1. Informed consent shall be defined as the free and conscious decision of a person in full use of his faculties after receiving the adequate information to receive an assisted death.
2. A chronical severe disability shall be defined as a situation that produces in a person a general inability to function independently, without healing possibilities and with a high probability of the situation persisting for the remainder of the person's natural life
3. A severe and uncurable disease shall be defined as a disease which originates physical and psychological suffering, without the possibility of tolerable relief and with a limited life prognosis.

SECTION II: Assisted death
1. Citizens and legal residents in Atlasia shall have the right to request and receive help for an assisted death when a number of requirements are met.
2. The decision to request help for a voluntary death shall require the informed consent of the patient.

SECTION III: Requirements to request an assisted death
1. In order to request an assisted death the following requirements shall be met by the patient:
a) Being a citizen or legal resident of Atlasia, above the age of 18
b) Having received information regarding the process and regarding the different alternatives and possibilities, including but not limited to palliative care
c) Formulating the petition for an assited death, which shall be repeated at least once more no less than 15 days after the original request, and which shall not be signed by the patient as a result of external pressure.
d) The patient shall be suffering from a severe and uncurable disease or have a chronical severe disability, as established in Section I
2. Alternatively, patients which due to their medical situation are unable to give informed consent may be given an assisted death if they had previously specified as part of their last will that they wanted to receive said assisted death when they found themselves suffering from a situation where they would be unable to become conscious and able to give informed consent again.

SECTION IV: Rights and duties of doctors regarding an assisted death
1. Doctors shall discuss with the patient his diagnosis, therapeutical possibilities, expected results and paliative care possibilities
2. Doctors shall verify that the request is done voluntarily, without external pressures and is expressed clearly.
3. Doctors shall verify that the patient fulfills al the requirements described in section III
4. Doctors shall administer the assisted death with the maximum care and professionality possible
5. Doctors shall have the right to excersise a voluntary refusal to an assisted death procedure through a conscious objection procedure.

SECTION V: Payment and other economical effects
1. Assisted death shall be included as part of the coverages of Atlascare. Part II, Section II of the Reforming and Regionalizing Public Healthcare Act of 2017 shall be amended accordingly
2. Assisted death shall be regarded as a natural death for all intents and purposes, including those related to life insurance

SECTION VI: Enactment
1. This bill shall become enacted inmediately after being signed by the president or after his veto is overriden as specified by the Atlasian Constitution

People's Regional Senate
Pending

Sponsor: Tack50
Senate Designation: SB19:06

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The sponsor has 24 hours for advocacy and the other members a subsequent 48 hours for responses.

[Former President tack50]

Ok, so after he registered for Atlasia, Michael asked me to introduce an euthanasia bill (nice to see new citizens involved!). That is not a topic I had heard about but it is certainly an interesting proposal and one I agreed with.

So after a bit of research into the topic and into legislation here we are!

This legalizes euthanasia in 3 cases:

Uncurable and severe diseases with a limited life prognosis. This would include certain kinds of cancer for example

Chronical severe disabilities. This is basically people who can barely function, who can breathe and talk and not much else.

People who fall into a deep coma with no recovery chances and who have specified they want to receive euthanasia in this situation as part of their last will.

Beyond that this requires explanation to the patients, ensuring that the patients know what they are doing and allows for a conscious objection process for doctors who don't want to have anything to do with it.

[Devout Centrist]

I'm leaning towards supporting this bill. Should we add 'terminal' to the definition of 'severe and incurable disease'?

[Former President tack50]

I'm leaning towards supporting this bill. Should we add 'terminal' to the definition of 'severe and incurable disease'?

Yeah, that would probably be a good addition.

[lfromnj]

Probably should require a mentally sound stipulation too.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Probably should require a mentally sound stipulation too.

What do the Senators think about this addition?


For my view, I have deep reservations about this being sanctioned and I worry about what it could lead to down the road.

[Former President tack50]

Probably should require a mentally sound stipulation too.

What do the Senators think about this addition?


For my view, I have deep reservations about this being sanctioned and I worry about what it could lead to down the road.

It is certainly a good addition as well. As for what it could lead, could you elaborate further?

[Mr. Reactionary]

Probably should require a mentally sound stipulation too.

What do the Senators think about this addition?


For my view, I have deep reservations about this being sanctioned and I worry about what it could lead to down the road.

It is certainly a good addition as well. As for what it could lead, could you elaborate further?

Coin operated suicide booths.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Probably should require a mentally sound stipulation too.

What do the Senators think about this addition?


For my view, I have deep reservations about this being sanctioned and I worry about what it could lead to down the road.

It is certainly a good addition as well. As for what it could lead, could you elaborate further?

Insurance companies and/or the gov't forcing poor people to kill themselves because money

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Tack I am going to defer to you in terms of the "mental health stipulation" because I don't want to butcher the text with 6 AM all nighter dribble.

We can use the same amendment to address the terminal addition.

[Devout Centrist]

I also support a mental health amendment to this bill

[Former President tack50]

Ok, I present the following amendment to clarify the "terminal" and "mentally sound" parts

SENATE BILL

A bill to regulate and legalize euthanasia and voluntary death in Atlasia

Be it enacted in both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Legalize Voluntary Death Act

SECTION I: Definitions
1. Informed consent shall be defined as the free and conscious decision of a person in full use of his faculties after receiving the adequate information to receive an assisted death.
2. A chronical severe disability shall be defined as a situation that produces in a person a general inability to function independently, without healing possibilities and with a high probability of the situation persisting for the remainder of the person's natural life
3. A severe, uncurable and terminal disease shall be defined as a disease which originates physical and psychological suffering, without the possibility of tolerable relief and with a limited life prognosis.

SECTION II: Assisted death
1. Citizens and legal residents in Atlasia shall have the right to request and receive help for an assisted death when a number of requirements are met.
2. The decision to request help for a voluntary death shall require the informed consent of the patient.

SECTION III: Requirements to request an assisted death
1. In order to request an assisted death the following requirements shall be met by the patient:
a) Being a citizen or legal resident of Atlasia, above the age of 18
b) The patient must be examined and considered mentally sound by a certified psychiatrist
c) Having received information regarding the process and regarding the different alternatives and possibilities, including but not limited to palliative care
d) Formulating the petition for an assited death, which shall be repeated at least once more no less than 15 days after the original request, and which shall not be signed by the patient as a result of external pressure.
e) The patient shall be suffering from a severe and, uncurable, and terminal disease or have a chronical severe disability, as established in Section I
2. Alternatively, patients which due to their medical situation are unable to give informed consent may be given an assisted death if they had previously specified as part of their last will that they wanted to receive said assisted death when they found themselves suffering from a situation where they would be unable to become conscious and able to give informed consent again.

SECTION IV: Rights and duties of doctors regarding an assisted death
1. Doctors shall discuss with the patient his diagnosis, therapeutical possibilities, expected results and paliative care possibilities
2. Doctors shall verify that the request is done voluntarily, without external pressures and is expressed clearly.
3. Doctors shall verify that the patient fulfills all the requirements described in section III
4. Doctors shall administer the assisted death with the maximum care and professionality possible
5. Doctors shall have the right to excersise a voluntary refusal to an assisted death procedure through a conscious objection procedure.

SECTION V: Payment and other economical effects
1. Assisted death shall be included as part of the coverages of Atlascare. Part II, Section II of the Reforming and Regionalizing Public Healthcare Act of 2017 shall be amended accordingly
2. Assisted death shall be regarded as a natural death for all intents and purposes, including those related to life insurance

SECTION VI: Enactment
1. This bill shall become enacted inmediately after being signed by the president or after his veto is overriden as specified by the Atlasian Constitution

People's Regional Senate
Pending

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

A bill to regulate and legalize euthanasia and voluntary death in Atlasia

Be it enacted in both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Legalize Voluntary Death Act

SECTION I: Definitions
1. Informed consent shall be defined as the free and conscious decision of a person in full use of his faculties after receiving the adequate information to receive an assisted death.
2. A chronical severe disability shall be defined as a situation that produces in a person a general inability to function independently, without healing possibilities and with a high probability of the situation persisting for the remainder of the person's natural life
3. A severe, uncurable and terminal disease shall be defined as a disease which originates physical and psychological suffering, without the possibility of tolerable relief and with a limited life prognosis.

SECTION II: Assisted death
1. Citizens and legal residents in Atlasia shall have the right to request and receive help for an assisted death when a number of requirements are met.
2. The decision to request help for a voluntary death shall require the informed consent of the patient.

SECTION III: Requirements to request an assisted death
1. In order to request an assisted death the following requirements shall be met by the patient:
a) Being a citizen or legal resident of Atlasia, above the age of 18
b) The patient must be examined and considered mentally sound by a certified psychiatrist
c) Having received information regarding the process and regarding the different alternatives and possibilities, including but not limited to palliative care
d) Formulating the petition for an assited death, which shall be repeated at least once more no less than 15 days after the original request, and which shall not be signed by the patient as a result of external pressure.
e) The patient shall be suffering from a severe and, uncurable, and terminal disease or have a chronical severe disability, as established in Section I
2. Alternatively, patients which due to their medical situation are unable to give informed consent may be given an assisted death if they had previously specified as part of their last will that they wanted to receive said assisted death when they found themselves suffering from a situation where they would be unable to become conscious and able to give informed consent again.

SECTION IV: Rights and duties of doctors regarding an assisted death
1. Doctors shall discuss with the patient his diagnosis, therapeutical possibilities, expected results and paliative care possibilities
2. Doctors shall verify that the request is done voluntarily, without external pressures and is expressed clearly.
3. Doctors shall verify that the patient fulfills all the requirements described in section III
4. Doctors shall administer the assisted death with the maximum care and professionality possible
5. Doctors shall have the right to excersise a voluntary refusal to an assisted death procedure through a conscientious objection procedure.

SECTION V: Payment and other economical effects
1. Assisted death shall be included as part of the coverages of Atlascare. Part II, Section II of the Reforming and Regionalizing Public Healthcare Act of 2017 shall be amended accordingly
2. Assisted death shall be regarded as a natural death for all intents and purposes, including those related to life insurance

SECTION VI: Enactment
1. This bill shall become enacted inmediately after being signed by the president or after his veto is overriden as specified by the Atlasian Constitution

People's Regional Senate
Pending

Sponsor Feedback: Origination
Status: Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Pericles]

This bill seems appropriate and while policymakers need to be careful with this issue people should be able to die with dignity rather than suffer pointlessly and if we can do that without creating a risk of this process being abused-which I think we can-then I hope Congress can pass this.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment has been adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This bill seems appropriate and while policymakers need to be careful with this issue people should be able to die with dignity rather than suffer pointlessly and if we can do that without creating a risk of this process being abused-which I think we can-then I hope Congress can pass this.

Do you have any recommendations for how to avoid abuses?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This bill seems appropriate and while policymakers need to be careful with this issue people should be able to die with dignity rather than suffer pointlessly and if we can do that without creating a risk of this process being abused-which I think we can-then I hope Congress can pass this.

Do you have any recommendations for how to avoid abuses?

Well?

[Devout Centrist]

This bill seems appropriate and while policymakers need to be careful with this issue people should be able to die with dignity rather than suffer pointlessly and if we can do that without creating a risk of this process being abused-which I think we can-then I hope Congress can pass this.

Do you have any recommendations for how to avoid abuses?

Perhaps there could be additional protections for wards of the state and those in elder care? What that would look like, I'm not sure.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This bill seems appropriate and while policymakers need to be careful with this issue people should be able to die with dignity rather than suffer pointlessly and if we can do that without creating a risk of this process being abused-which I think we can-then I hope Congress can pass this.

Do you have any recommendations for how to avoid abuses?

Perhaps there could be additional protections for wards of the state and those in elder care? What that would look like, I'm not sure.

Maybe strengthening the sound mind requirements?

[Devout Centrist]

This bill seems appropriate and while policymakers need to be careful with this issue people should be able to die with dignity rather than suffer pointlessly and if we can do that without creating a risk of this process being abused-which I think we can-then I hope Congress can pass this.

Do you have any recommendations for how to avoid abuses?

Perhaps there could be additional protections for wards of the state and those in elder care? What that would look like, I'm not sure.

Maybe strengthening the sound mind requirements?

That could work. Any language you have in mind?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This bill seems appropriate and while policymakers need to be careful with this issue people should be able to die with dignity rather than suffer pointlessly and if we can do that without creating a risk of this process being abused-which I think we can-then I hope Congress can pass this.

Do you have any recommendations for how to avoid abuses?

Perhaps there could be additional protections for wards of the state and those in elder care? What that would look like, I'm not sure.

Maybe strengthening the sound mind requirements?

That could work. Any language you have in mind?

I was thinking maybe about adding a list of people who cannot give informed consent, but I wouldn't be sure who all to include.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

One thing we lack in this game is people with a great deal of expertise on the ground level in terms of both medicine and mental health. It would make bills like this so much easier if we had a couple or even one "resident expert" we could go to on such bills like we go to say Encke or PiT for complex math formulas.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This has been sitting for too long. We cannot let perfection get in the way of forward movement and while it would be nice to have some greater medical expertise backing up our efforts, we go to war with the knowledge with have so to speak.


Therefore I encourage anyone with any further amendments or desired modifications to make them in the next 24 hours. Absent that I will motion for a final vote.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I motion for a final vote, Senators have 24 hours to object.