A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT establishing aN end of life option act to allow qualified patients diagnosed with a terminal disease to end life in a humane and dignified manner.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"Article 23B.
"End of Life Option Act.
"§ 90‑326.  Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Article:
(1)	Adult. – An individual who is 18 years of age or older.
(2)	Aid‑in‑dying drug. – A controlled substance determined and prescribed by a physician licensed in this State for a qualified individual with the purpose of hastening the qualified individual's death due to a terminal disease.
(3)	Attending physician. – The North Carolina licensed physician, having established a bona fide physician‑patient relationship with an individual with a terminal disease, who has primary responsibility for supervising the individual's terminal disease under the provisions of this Article. The attending physician need not be the individual's primary care physician.
(4)	Attending Physician Checklist and Compliance Form. – The form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18 identifying each and every requirement that must be fulfilled by an attending physician in order to be in good faith compliance with this Article if the attending physician chooses to participate in the activities authorized under this Article.
(5)	Attending witness. – An individual named by the qualified individual to be present if and when the qualified individual self‑administers the aid‑in‑dying drug and who undertakes to (i) complete the Attending Witness Completion Form confirming ingestion of the aid‑in‑dying drug and the death of the qualified individual and (ii) return the Attending Witness Completion Form to the attending physician within 48 hours after the death of the qualified individual. The attending witness may, but need not be (i) related to the qualified individual by blood, adoption, or marriage or (ii) a health care provider. At the discretion of the qualified individual, the attending witness may be the attending physician or consulting physician.
(6)	Bona fide physician‑patient relationship. – A treating or consulting relationship in the course of which a physician has completed a full assessment of a patient's medical history and current medical condition, including a personal physical examination.
(7)	Capacity to make medical decisions. – In the opinion of an individual's attending physician, consulting physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist, the individual has the ability to understand the nature and consequences of a health care decision; the ability to understand its significant benefits, risks, and alternatives; and the ability to make and communicate an informed decision to health care providers, including communication through persons familiar with the qualified individual's manner or language of communication, if those persons are required.
(8)	Consulting physician. – A physician who is independent from the attending physician, not part of the same practice group as the attending physician, and qualified by specialty or experience to make a professional diagnosis and prognosis regarding an individual's terminal disease.
(9)	Department. – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
(10)	Health care provider or provider of health care. – An individual who is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized under Chapter 90 of the General Statutes to provide health care services in the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession or a health care facility licensed under Chapter 131E of the General Statutes, where health care services are provided to patients. The term includes all of the following:
a.	An agent or employee of a health care facility that is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized to provide health care services.
b.	The officers and directors of a health care facility.
c.	An agent or employee of a health care provider who is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized to provide health care services.
(11)	Informed decision. – A decision by an individual with a terminal disease to request and obtain a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug that the individual may self‑administer to hasten the individual's death, that is based on an understanding and acknowledgement of the relevant facts, and that is made after being fully informed by the attending physician of all of the following:
a.	The individual's medical diagnosis and prognosis.
b.	The risks associated with taking the aid‑in‑dying drug to be prescribed.
c.	The probable result of taking the aid‑in‑dying drug to be prescribed.
d.	The right of the individual to change his or her mind at any time by discontinuing proceedings under this Article and by choosing not to obtain the aid‑in‑dying drug or, after obtaining the aid‑in‑dying drug, by deciding not to ingest it.
e.	The feasible alternatives or additional end‑of‑life opportunities, including VSED, comfort or palliative care, hospice care, terminal sedation, and pain control.
(12)	Medically confirmed. – The medical diagnosis and prognosis of the attending physician has been confirmed by a consulting physician who has examined the individual and the individual's relevant medical records and communicated his or her findings to the attending physician.
(13)	Mental health specialist assessment. – One or more consultations between an individual and a mental health specialist for the purpose of determining that the individual has the capability to make medical decisions and is not suffering from impaired judgment due to a mental disorder or disease.
(14)	Mental health specialist. – A psychiatrist or a psychologist licensed to practice in North Carolina.
(15)	Palliative care. – Care that eases or relieves pain or discomfort.
(16)	Physician. – An individual licensed to practice medicine by the North Carolina Medical Board under Article 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.
(17)	Public place. – Any street, alley, park, public building, place of business, or assembly open to or frequented by the public, and any other place that is open to the public view or to which the public has access.
(18)	Qualified individual. – An adult who has the capacity to make medical decisions, is a resident of North Carolina, and has satisfied the requirements of this Article in order to obtain a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug to hasten death.
(19)	Self‑administer. – A qualified individual's affirmative, voluntary, conscious, and physical act of administering and ingesting the aid‑in‑dying drug to hasten death.
(20)	Terminal disease. – An incurable and irreversible disease that has been medically confirmed by the attending and consulting physicians and will, within reasonable medical judgment, result in death within six months.
(21)	Terminal sedation. – The palliative practice of relieving distress and suffering in an individual with a terminal disease by means of a continuous intravenous or subcutaneous infusion of a sedative drug until death occurs.
(22)	VSED. – Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking, a means of hastening death by cessation of eating and drinking food and beverages in order to halt all nutrition and hydration.
"§ 90‑326.1.  Right to information.
An individual suffering from an incurable, terminal disease has a right to be informed of all available end‑of‑life options related to terminal care and to receive answers to any specific question about the foreseeable risks and benefits of medication without the physician withholding any requested information, regardless of the purpose of the inquiry or the nature of the information. A physician who engages in discussions with a patient related to such risks and benefits shall not be construed as assisting in or contributing to a patient's independent decision to self‑administer a lethal dose of medication, and such discussions shall not be used to establish civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary action.
"§ 90‑326.2.  Initiation of request for aid‑in‑dying drug.
(a)	An individual who is an adult with the capacity to make medical decisions suffering from an incurable, terminal disease may make a request to receive a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug, provided that all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1)	The individual's attending physician has diagnosed the individual to be suffering from an incurable, terminal disease.
(2)	The individual has voluntarily expressed verbally and in writing the wish to receive a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug.
(3)	The individual is a resident of North Carolina and is able to establish residency through any of the following means:
a. 	Possession of a North Carolina drivers license or other identification issued by the State of North Carolina.
b.	Registration to vote in North Carolina.
c.	Evidence that the person owns or leases property in North Carolina.
d.	Filing of a North Carolina tax return for the most recent tax year.
(4)	The individual documents his or her request pursuant to the requirements of G.S. 90‑326.3 and on the form specified in G.S. 90‑326.3A.
(5)	The individual has the physical and mental ability to self‑administer the aid‑in‑dying drug.
(b)	A person shall not be considered a qualified individual under the provisions of this Article solely because of age or disability.
(c)	A request for a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug under this Article shall be made solely and directly by the individual diagnosed with the terminal disease and shall not be made on behalf of the patient, including through an advance health care directive or a power of attorney, conservator, health care agent, surrogate, or any other legally recognized health care decision maker.
"§ 90‑326.3.  Form of request for aid‑in‑dying drug.
(a)	An individual seeking to obtain a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug pursuant to this Article shall submit two verbal requests, a minimum of 15 days apart, followed by a written request that meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this section directly to his or her attending physician and not to a designee of the physician. The attending physician shall directly, and not through a designee, receive all three requests required pursuant to this section. The attending physician shall keep records of the verbal and written requests in the individual's medical file. The record of the verbal requests must include the date and time of the request as well as a summary of the request. 
(b)	In order to be valid, a written request for an aid‑in‑dying drug must meet all of the following criteria:
(1)	The request shall be in the form specified in G.S. 90‑326.3A.
(2)	The request shall be signed and dated by the individual seeking the aid‑in‑dying drug in the presence of two adult witnesses, at least one of whom shall be a North Carolina resident, who, in the presence of the individual, shall attest that to the best of their knowledge and belief the individual is all of the following:
a.	An individual who is personally known to them or has provided proof of identity.
b.	An individual who voluntarily signed this request in their presence.
c.	An individual whom they believe to be mentally capable and not acting under duress, fraud, or undue influence.
d.	Not an individual for whom either of them is the attending physician, consulting physician, or mental health specialist.
(c)	Neither of the witnesses at the time the written request is signed may:
(1)	Be related to the qualified individual by blood, marriage, registered domestic partnership, or adoption or be entitled to a portion of the individual's estate upon death by devise or inheritance.
(2)	Own, operate, or be employed at a health care facility where the individual is receiving medical treatment or currently resides.
"§ 90‑326.3A.  Request for Aid‑In‑Dying Drug Form.
A request for an aid‑in‑dying drug, as authorized by this Article, shall be in the following form:
"REQUEST FOR AN AID‑IN‑DYING DRUG TO END MY LIFE IN A HUMANE AND DIGNIFIED MANNER
I, ………………………………………………, am an adult of sound mind and a resident of the State of North Carolina.
I have been diagnosed as suffering from ……………., which my attending physician has determined is in its terminal phase and which has been medically confirmed as leaving me less than six months to live.
I have been fully informed of my diagnosis and prognosis, the nature of the aid‑in‑dying drug to be prescribed and potential associated risks, the expected result, and the feasible alternatives or additional treatment options, including VSED, comfort or palliative care, hospice care, terminal sedation, and pain control.
I request that my attending physician prescribe an aid‑in‑dying drug that will end my life in a humane and dignified manner if I choose to take it, and I authorize my attending physician to contact my pharmacist about my request.
INITIAL ONE:
………… I have informed one or more members of my family of my decision and taken their opinions into consideration.
………… I have decided not to inform my family of my decision.
………… I have no family to inform of my decision.

I nominate ……………… to be my attending witness should I decide to ingest the prescribed aid‑in‑dying drug and authorize ……………… to transmit the final confirmation of my death by ingestion to my attending physician.
I understand that I have the right to change my mind at any time and to withdraw or rescind this request and not to ingest the aid‑in‑dying drug once prescribed.
I undertake to keep the aid‑in‑dying drug in a safe and secure place until such time, if ever, when I decide to ingest it.
I understand that if I decide to take the aid‑in‑dying drug, it is my responsibility to self‑administer it, although someone may assist me in preparing the aid‑in‑dying drug for immediate consumption.
I understand that I may have friends, family, clergy persons, colleagues, or medical practitioners, including my attending physician or primary care physician with me if and when I decide to ingest the aid‑in‑dying drug.
I understand the full import of this request and I expect to die if I take the aid‑in‑dying drug to be prescribed. My attending physician has counseled me about the possibility that my death may not occur immediately upon the ingestion of the drug.
I make this request voluntarily, without reservation, and without coercion.
Signed: ……………………………………….
Dated: ………………………………………..
DECLARATION OF WITNESSES
We declare that the person signing this request meets all of the following criteria:
(1)	Is personally known to us or has provided proof of identity.
(2)	Voluntarily signed this request in our presence.
(3)	Is an individual whom we believe to be mentally capable and not under duress, fraud, or undue influence.
(4)	Is not an individual for whom either of us is the attending physician, consulting physician, or mental health specialist.
(5)	Is not related to us by blood, marriage, registered domestic partnership, or adoption, and, to the best of our knowledge, we are not entitled to a portion of the person's estate upon death by devise or inheritance.
………………………. Witness 1/Date
………………………. Witness 2/Date"
"§ 90‑326.3B.  Attending Witness Completion Form.
The Attending Witness Completion Form given by the attending physician to the qualified individual at the time the attending physician writes the prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug shall appear in the following form:
"ATTENDING WITNESS COMPLETION FORM AFTER SELF‑ADMINISTRATION OF AN AID‑IN‑DYING DRUG
I, ………………………………………………, was nominated by ……………..… (name of qualified individual) ……..….. to be his/her attending witness at the time of self‑administration of the prescribed aid‑in‑dying drug.
On ……………… (date and time), I witnessed the self‑administration of said aid‑in‑dying drug by ……………… (name of qualified individual).
I confirm that …………. (name of qualified individual) self‑administered the aid‑in‑dying drug willingly and without coercion or undue pressure and was aware of his or her right not to ingest the drug at any time.
I confirm that ……………… (qualified individual) did expire within …….. minutes.
There were no complications arising during the ingestion.
(If there were complications, please describe here:                  
………………………………………………………………)
I confirm that ………………. did self‑administer the entire prescription of the aid‑in‑dying drug, and if the entirety was not self‑administered, I undertake to dispose of the remaining prescription in a safe and lawful manner.
Signed: ……………………………………….
Dated: ………………………………………..
Time: …………………………………………"
Within 48 hours after the qualified individual has self‑administered the aid‑in‑dying drug, the attending witness shall complete this Attending Witness Completion Form and timely transmit it to the attending physician.
Upon receiving the Attending Witness Completion Form, the attending physician shall add it to the medical records of the qualified individual and include it in his or her transmission of the Attending Physician Follow‑Up Form to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services."
"§ 90‑326.4.  Discontinuation, withdrawal, or rescission of request.
A qualified individual may at any time discontinue, withdraw, or rescind his or her request for an aid‑in‑dying drug or decide not to ingest an aid‑in‑dying drug once obtained.
"§ 90‑326.5.  Attending physician responsibilities.
(a)	No person other than the attending physician may write a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug. A designee of the attending physician is not authorized to prescribe an aid‑in‑dying drug.
(b)	Before prescribing an aid‑in‑dying drug, the attending physician shall do all of the following:
(1)	Make an initial determination of all of the following:
a.	That the requesting adult has the capacity to make medical decisions.
1.	If there are indications of a mental disorder or disease, the physician shall refer the individual for a mental health specialist assessment.
2.	If a mental health specialist assessment referral is made, no aid‑in‑dying drugs shall be prescribed unless the mental health specialist determines that the individual has the capacity to make medical decisions and is not suffering from impaired judgment due to a mental disorder or disease.
b.	That the requesting adult has a terminal disease.
c.	That the requesting adult has voluntarily made the request for an aid‑in‑dying drug pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.3 and on the form specified in G.S. 90‑326.3A.
d.	That the requesting adult is a qualified individual as defined in G.S. 90‑326.
(2)	Confirm that the individual is making an informed decision by discussing with him or her all of the following:
a.	The individual's medical diagnosis and prognosis.
b.	The risks associated with ingesting the requested aid‑in‑dying drug.
c.	The probable result of ingesting the aid‑in‑dying drug.
d.	The right of the individual to discontinue the application for the aid‑in‑dying drug at any time and the right not to ingest the aid‑in‑dying drug.
e.	The feasible alternatives or additional end‑of‑life options, including VSED, comfort or palliative care, hospice care, terminal sedation, and pain control.
(3)	Refer the individual to a consulting physician for medical confirmation of the individual's diagnosis, prognosis, and capacity to make medical decisions and for confirmation that the individual has complied with the provisions of this Article.
(4)	Confirm that the qualified individual's request does not arise from coercion or undue influence by another person by discussing with the qualified individual, outside of the presence of any other persons, except when a qualified translator is necessary, whether or not the qualified individual is being coerced or unduly influenced by another person.
(5)	Advise the qualified individual of the critical importance of all of the following:
a.	Having another person present when the qualified individual ingests the aid‑in‑dying drug by nominating an attending witness to be present if and when the qualified individual decides to ingest the aid‑in‑dying drug, who will be responsible for (i) completing the attending Witness Completion Form specified in G.S. 90‑326.3B within 48 hours after the qualified individual has self‑administered the aid‑in‑dying drug and (ii) timely transmitting the Attending Witness Completion Form specified in G.S. 90‑326.3B to the attending physician.
b.	Not ingesting the aid‑in‑dying drug in a public place.
c.	Notifying next‑of‑kin of the qualified individual's request for an aid‑in‑dying drug and of the qualified individual's decision to self‑administer the aid‑in‑dying drug.
d.	Participating in a hospice program, pain management regime, or both.
e.	Maintaining the aid‑in‑dying drug in a safe and secure location until the qualified individual decides to ingest it.
f.	Properly disposing of the aid‑in‑dying drug if the qualified person decides to forego ingestion.
(6)	Offer the qualified individual an opportunity to withdraw or rescind the request for an aid‑in‑dying drug before prescribing the aid‑in‑dying drug.
(7)	Inform the qualified individual of the right to withdraw or rescind the request for an aid‑in‑dying drug at any time and in any manner and that the qualified individual is in no way obligated to ingest the aid‑in‑dying drug once prescribed if the qualified individual changes his or her mind.
(8)	Verify, immediately prior to writing the prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug, that the qualified individual is making an informed decision and is in no way acting under undue pressure or coercion.
(9)	Confirm that all requirements have been met and all appropriate steps have been carried out in accordance with this Article before writing a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug.
(10)	Fulfill the documentation requirements of G.S. 90‑326.8.
(11)	Complete the Attending Physician Checklist and Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18 and include it with the Consulting Physician Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18 in the individual's medical record.
(12)	Provide to the qualified individual a copy of the Attending Witness Completion Form specified in G.S. 90‑326.3B in a self‑addressed, stamped envelope with the instruction that the form should be completed, executed, and returned to the attending physician by the attending witness.
(c)	If the conditions set forth in subsection (a) of this section are satisfied, the attending physician may deliver the aid‑in‑dying drug in any of the following ways:
(1)	Dispense the aid‑in‑dying drug directly to the qualified individual, including ancillary medication intended to minimize the qualified individual's discomfort, provided that the attending physician meets all of the following requirements:
a.	Is authorized under North Carolina law to dispense controlled substances.
b.	Has a valid United States Drug Enforcement Administration registration number and certificate.
c.	Is in compliance with all applicable State and federal rules.
(2)	With the qualified individual's written consent, contact a pharmacist to inform the pharmacist of the prescription and deliver the written prescription to the pharmacist personally, by mail, or by electronic transmission. The pharmacist may then dispense the aid‑in‑dying drug to the qualified individual, the attending physician, or a person expressly designated verbally and in writing by the qualified individual to receive the aid‑in‑dying drug. The pharmacist shall complete the Pharmacist Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18.
(d)	Delivery of the dispensed drug to the qualified individual, the attending physician, or a person expressly designated in writing by the qualified individual may be made by personal delivery or with a signature required upon delivery, by the United States postal service or other public or private business engaged in the delivery of mail, packages, or parcels.
"§ 90‑326.6.  Consulting physician responsibilities.
Before a qualified individual obtains a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug from the attending physician, the consulting physician shall perform all of the following:
(1)	Examine the qualified individual and his or her relevant medical records.
(2)	Confirm in writing the attending physician's diagnosis and prognosis.
(3)	Determine that the qualified individual has the capacity to make medical decisions, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision.
(4)	If there are indications of a mental disorder or disease, refer the individual for assessment by a mental health specialist.
(5)	Fulfill the documentation requirements of this Article.
(6)	Submit in a timely manner to the attending physician the Consulting Physician Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18.
"§ 90‑326.7.  Mental health specialist responsibilities.
Upon referral from the attending or consulting physician, the mental health specialist shall do all of the following:
(1)	Examine the qualified individual and his or her relevant medical records.
(2)	Determine whether the individual has the mental capacity to make medical decisions, act voluntarily, and make an informed decision.
(3)	Determine whether the individual is suffering from impaired judgment due to a mental disorder or disease.
(4)	Fulfill the documentation requirements of this Article.
(5)	Submit in a timely manner to the attending physician or the consulting physician, as appropriate, the Mental Health Specialist Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18.
"§ 90‑326.8.  Documentation requirements.
All of the following shall be documented in the qualified individual's medical record:
(1)	A summary of all verbal requests by the qualified individual for aid‑in‑dying drugs, including the date, time, and location of each request and any tape or digital recording or written summary of the verbal requests.
(2)	All written requests for aid‑in‑dying drugs.
(3)	The attending physician's diagnosis and prognosis and the determination that the individual is a qualified individual who has the capacity to make medical decisions, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision, or alternatively that the attending physician has determined that the individual is not a qualified individual, and why in the attending physician's judgment the individual is not a qualified individual.
(4)	The consulting physician's diagnosis and prognosis and verification that the qualified individual has the capacity to make medical decisions, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision, or alternatively that the consulting physician has determined that the individual is not a qualified individual, and why in the consulting physician's judgment the individual is not a qualified individual.
(5)	A report of the outcome and determinations made during a mental health specialist's assessment, if performed.
(6)	The attending physician's offer to the qualified individual to withdraw or rescind his or her request at the time of the individual's second oral request.
(7)	The Attending Witness Completion Form specified in G.S. 90‑326.3B, if returned to the attending physician completed.
(8)	A note by the attending physician indicating that all requirements under G.S. 90‑326.5 and G.S. 90‑326.6 have been met and indicating the steps taken to carry out the request, including the name and dosage of the specific aid‑in‑dying drug prescribed.
"§ 90‑326.9.  Required submissions to Department upon prescribing aid‑in‑dying drug.
(a)	Within 48 hours after writing a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug, the attending physician shall submit to the Department a copy of the prescription.
(b)	Within 48 hours after dispensing an aid‑in‑dying drug, the pharmacist shall submit to the Department a copy of the Pharmacist Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18.
(c)	Within 15 calendar days after a determination by the attending physician, the consulting physician, or the mental health specialist that an individual is not a qualified individual under this Article, the attending physician shall submit to the Department a written summary of the individual's request for an aid‑in‑dying drug and the reasons for concluding that the individual is not a qualified individual under this Article.
(c)	Within 30 calendar days after writing a prescription for an aid‑in‑dying drug, the attending physician shall submit to the Department a copy of the qualifying patient's written request, the Attending Physician Checklist and Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18, and the Consulting Physician Compliance Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18.
(d)	Within 30 calendar days after the later of (i) the qualified individual's death from ingesting the aid‑in‑dying drug or from any other cause or (ii) the date on which the attending physician receives actual notice of the qualified individual's death from the Attending Witness Completion Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18 or otherwise, the attending physician shall submit to the Department an Attending Physician Follow‑Up Form published by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.18.
"§ 90‑326.10.  Death certificate.
The attending physician may sign the qualified individual's death certificate. In any event, the cause of death on a qualified individual's death certificate shall be recorded as the underlying terminal disease.
"§ 90‑326.11.  Effect on insurance.
(a)	The sale, procurement, or issuance of any life, health, or annuity policy, health care service plan contract, or health benefit plan or the rate charged for any policy, plan contract, or benefit plan shall not be conditioned upon or affected by the making or rescinding of a person's request for an aid‑in‑dying drug.
(b)	Consistent with G.S. 90‑326.13, death resulting from the self‑administration of an aid‑in‑dying drug shall not be deemed suicide, but rather a hastened death from the underlying terminal disease, and therefore coverage under a life, health, or annuity policy shall not be denied, curtailed, or exempted on that basis.
(c)	A qualified individual's act of self‑administering an aid‑in‑dying drug shall not have any effect upon a life, health, or annuity policy other than that of a natural death from the underlying disease.
(d)	An insurance carrier shall not provide any information in communications to a qualified individual about the availability of aid‑in‑dying drugs absent a request by the qualified individual or the qualified individual's attending physician at the behest of the qualified individual.
"§ 90‑326.12.  No civil or criminal liability, penalty, or professional disciplinary action for good faith participation in the activities authorized by this Article.
(a)	A person shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary action for participating in good faith compliance with the activities authorized under this Article or for being present when a qualified individual self‑administers an aid‑in‑dying drug.
(b)	An individual with a terminal disease who self‑administers a lethal dose of medication shall not be considered a person exposed to grave physical harm under any Good Samaritan law, and no person shall be subject to civil or criminal liability solely for being present when an individual with a terminal disease self‑administers a lethal dose of medication or for failing to act to prevent the patient from self‑administering a lethal dose of medication.
(c)	A person who is present when an individual with a terminal disease self‑administers an aid‑in‑dying drug may, without civil or criminal liability, assist the qualified individual at his or her request by preparing the aid‑in‑dying drug; provided, however, that the person does not directly assist the qualified person in ingesting or self‑administering the aid‑in‑dying drug.
(d)	No health care provider, pharmacist, licensing board, or professional organization or association shall subject an individual to censure, discipline, suspension, adverse action on a license, loss of privileges, loss of membership, or other penalty for participating in good faith compliance with the activities authorized under this Article or for refusing to participate in activities authorized under this Article in accordance with subsection (e) of this section.
(e)	No health care provider or pharmacist shall be subject to civil, criminal, administrative, disciplinary, employment, credentialing, professional discipline, contractual liability, or medical staff action, sanction, penalty, or other liability for participating in the activities authorized under this Article, including determining the diagnosis or prognosis of an individual, determining the capacity of an individual for the purpose of determining if he or she is a qualified individual under this Article, providing information about this Article to an individual, and providing a referral to a physician licensed in this State who participates in the activities authorized under this Article.
"§ 90‑326.13.  Request for aid‑in‑dying not a basis for guardianship or claim of neglect or elder abuse.
(a)	A request by a qualified individual to an attending physician to provide an aid‑in‑dying drug in good faith compliance with the provisions of this Article shall not provide the basis for the appointment of a guardian or conservator.
(b)	No actions taken in compliance with the provisions of this Article shall constitute or provide the basis for any claim of neglect or elder abuse for any purpose of law.
"§ 90‑326.14.  Voluntary nature of authorized activities under this Article.
(a)	Participation in activities authorized under this Article is strictly voluntary. A person or entity that elects, for reasons of conscience, morality, or ethics, not to engage in activities authorized under this Article is not required to take any action in support of another individual's decisions or actions under this Article. Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a person or entity that elects not to engage in such activities shall not impede or interfere with a qualified individual's decision to self‑administer an aid‑in‑dying drug.
(b)	No health care provider or pharmacist shall be subject to civil, criminal, administrative, disciplinary, employment, credentialing, professional discipline, contractual liability, or medical staff action, sanction, penalty, or other liability for refusing to participate in activities authorized under this Article.
(c)	If a health care provider or pharmacist is unable or unwilling to carry out an individual's request under this Article and the individual transfers care to a new health care provider, the individual may request that a copy of his or her medical records be sent directly to the individual or to the new health care provider.
(d)	A health care provider may prohibit its employees, independent contractors, or other persons or entities, including other health care providers, from participating in activities authorized under this Article while on premises owned or under the management or direct control of that health care provider, or while acting within the course and scope of any employment by, or contract with, that health care provider.
A health care provider, that elects to prohibit its employees, independent contractors, or other persons or entities, including health care providers, from participating in activities authorized under this Article, shall first give notice of the policy prohibiting participation under this Article to the individuals or entities prohibited from participating in such activities. A health care provider that fails to provide such prior notice of its policy shall not be entitled to enforce the policy against any individual or entity.
"§ 90‑326.15.  Impermissible sanctions.
(a)	A health care provider may not be sanctioned for any of the following:
(1)	Making an initial determination pursuant to the standard of care that an individual has a terminal disease and informing him or her of the medical prognosis.
(2)	Providing information about the End of Life Options Act to an individual upon inquiry.
(3)	Providing an individual, upon request, with a referral to another physician.
(b)	An entity that prohibits activities authorized under this Article in accordance with G.S. 90‑326.17 shall not sanction an individual health care provider for contracting with a qualified individual to engage in activities authorized under this Article if the individual health care provider is acting outside the course and scope of his or her employment or contract with the entity prohibiting such activities.
(c)	The protection from sanctions described in this section is solely reserved for health care providers who engage in actions authorized under this Article.
"§ 90‑326.16.  Felonious activities.
(a)	Knowingly altering or forging a request for an aid‑in‑dying drug to hasten an individual's death without that individual's authorization, concealing or destroying a withdrawal or rescission of a request for an aid‑in‑dying drug, destroying or concealing an individual's written request for aid‑in‑dying drug, or concealing or destroying an individual's prescribed aid‑in‑dying drug is punishable as a felony if the act is done with the intent or effect of causing, interfering with, or preventing the individual's death against his or her wishes.
(b)	Knowingly coercing or exerting undue influence on an individual to request or ingest an aid‑in‑dying drug for the purpose of ending his or her life or knowingly destroying a withdrawal or rescission of a request or administering an aid‑in‑dying drug to an individual without his or her knowledge or consent is punishable as a felony.
(c)	Knowingly coercing or exerting undue influence to interfere with an individual's expressed desire to hasten his or her death by ingestion of a prescribed aid‑in‑dying drug is punishable as a felony.
(d)	Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit civil liability for acts or omissions of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
(e)	The penalties in this section do not preclude criminal penalties applicable under other provisions of law for conduct inconsistent with the provisions of this Article.
"§ 90‑326.17.  Department to collect information; information to remain confidential and is not a public record.
(a)	The Department shall collect and review the information submitted pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.9. The information collected and maintained by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.9 and this section is confidential and not a public record under G.S. 132‑1. The Department shall collect and maintain this information in a manner that protects the privacy of the qualified individual, the qualified individual's family, and any participating health care provider or pharmacist.
(b)	Annually on or before March 15, the Department shall create and make available to the general public on the Department's Internet Web site a report based on the information collected by the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.9 and this section during the preceding calendar year. The report shall include at least all of the following based on the information provided to the Department pursuant to G.S. 90‑326.9 and this section and the Department's access to vital statistics:
(1)	The number of individuals who initiated procedures to obtain an aid‑in‑dying drug under this Article.
(2)	The number of individuals for whom an aid‑in‑dying drug was prescribed.
(3)	The number of individuals who initiated a request for an aid‑in‑dying drug under this Article, but whose request was denied by the attending physician, the consulting physician, or a mental health specialist.
(4)	The number of known individuals who died each year for whom an aid‑in‑dying drug was prescribed and the cause of death for each of these individuals.
(5)	For the preceding calendar year, the cumulative totals of all the following:
a.	The number of prescriptions written for aid‑in‑dying drugs.
b.	The number of people who died as a result of ingesting an aid‑in‑dying drug.
c.	Of the number in sub‑subdivision (5)b. of this subsection, the number who were enrolled in hospice or other palliative care programs at the time of death.
(6)	The number of known deaths in North Carolina hastened by aid‑in‑dying drugs per 10,000 deaths in North Carolina and by  natural causes per 10,000 deaths.
(6)	The number of physicians licensed in this State who wrote prescriptions for aid‑in‑dying drugs.
(7)	The number of pharmacists participating in activities authorized under this Article.
(8)	The names and dosages of prescribed aid‑in‑dying drugs.
(9)	Of the individuals who died as a result of ingesting an aid‑in‑dying drug, demographic percentages organized by the following characteristics:
a.	Age at death.
b.	Education level.
c.	Race.
d.	Sex.
e.	Type of insurance, including whether or not the individual had insurance coverage.
f.	Underlying terminal disease.
g.	The number of days elapsed between the date the prescription was filled and the date the prescription was ingested and resulted in death.
"§ 90‑326.18.  Department to develop, update, and publish forms.
The Department shall develop an Attending Physician Checklist and Compliance Form, an Attending Physician Follow‑Up Form, a Consulting Physician Compliance Form, a Mental Health Specialist Compliance Form, a Pharmacist Compliance Form, and any other form the Department deems necessary to implement the provisions of this Article, provided, however, that any form the Department develops pursuant to this section shall be consistent with the requirements of this Article. The Department shall, as necessary, update and publish all forms to be used under this Article on its Internet Web site in a format that can be downloaded by the general public.
"§ 90‑326.19.  Disposal of aid‑in‑dying drugs after death of qualified individual.
A person who has custody or control of any unused aid‑in‑dying drugs prescribed pursuant to this Article after the death of a qualified individual shall (i) personally deliver the unused aid‑in‑dying drugs for disposal at the nearest qualified facility that properly disposes of controlled substances, or if none is available, (ii) dispose of the aid‑in‑dying drug by lawful means in accordance with rules adopted by the North Carolina State Board of Pharmacy or a federal Drug Enforcement Administration approved take‑back program.
"§ 90‑326.20.  Construction of Article.
(a)	This Article shall not be construed to authorize a physician or any other person to end an individual's life by lethal injection, mercy killing, or active euthanasia.
(b)	Actions taken in accordance with this Article shall not, for any purposes, constitute suicide, assisted suicide, homicide, or elder abuse under the laws of North Carolina.
"§ 90‑326.21.  Severability of provisions.
If any provision of this Article or the application of this Article to any person or circumstances is for any reason held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Article that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Article are declared to be severable."
SECTION 2.(a)  By December 31, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services shall develop and publish to its Internet Web site, in downloadable format, the forms described in G.S. 90‑326.18, as enacted by this act.
SECTION 2.(b)  The first report required by the Department under G.S. 90‑326.17(b), as enacted by this act, is due and shall be published on its Internet Web site on or before March 15, 2019.
SECTION 2.(c)  This section is effective when this act becomes law.
SECTION 3.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective December 1, 2017, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.