End of Life Choice Bill

End of Life Choice Bill
New Zealand Parliament
A bill which seeks to give people with a terminal illness or a grievous and irremediable medical condition the option of requesting assisted dying.
Legislative history
Introduced by David Seymour
First reading 13 December 2017

The End of Life Choice Bill is a bill before the New Zealand Parliament that seeks to give people with a terminal illness or a grievous and irremediable medical condition the option of requesting assisted dying.[1] ACT New Zealand MP David Seymour entered it into the private member's bill ballot on 14 October 2015.[2] The bill passed its first reading on 13 December 2017, with 76 votes in favour, 44 opposed.

Contents of the bill

Eligibility for assisted dying

The End of Life Choice Bill allows New Zealand citizens or permanent residents aged 18 or older to request assisted dying, provided that they suffer from a terminal illness that is likely to end their life within 6 months, or they suffer from a grievous and irremediable medical condition; that they are in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability; and they experience unbearable suffering that cannot be relieved in a manner that they consider tolerable; and they have the ability to understand the nature of assisted dying and the consequences for him or her of assisted dying.[3]

Process of assisted dying

A person who wishes to have an assisted death, and is eligible under the above criteria, must inform their attending medical practitioner. The medical practitioner must complete a prescribed form after having first talked to the patient about their illness, the nature of assisted dying, alternative options for end of life care, and numerous other matters.[4] Once the request has been confirmed, the patient must sign and date the prescribed form in the presence of the practitioner.[5] Once the form has been completed the attending medical practitioner, and following that an independent medical practitioner, must confirm that the person is eligible for assisted dying.[6][7] If there is a disagreement between the two practitioners, or if it is recommended by either of the practitioners, a third opinion must be reached by an independent specialist appointed by the SCENZ Group.[8] Following this, the patient requesting assisted dying must choose the medication and method of delivery which will end their life.[9] Once the medication has been administered the attending medical practitioner must complete a prescribed form notifying the registrar at the Ministry of Health that an assisted death has occurred. The registrar must then forward the form to a review committee.[10]

First reading

Voting at first reading (13 Dec 2017)[11]
PartyVoted forVoted against
National (56)
Labour (46)
NZ First (9) -
Green (8) -
ACT (1) -
Totals 76 44

Justice select committee

Submissions to the Justice select committee regarding the bill ended at midnight on 6 March 2018.[12] The committee is due to report on the bill by 27 Mar 2019.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), Explanatory note."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Seymour, David. "Seymour lodges assisted dying Bill". Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  3. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 4."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  4. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 8."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  5. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 9."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  6. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 10."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  7. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 11."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  8. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 12."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  9. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 15."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  10. ↑ ""End of Life Choice Bill (as at 06 March 2018), section 17."". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  11. ↑ "Euthanasia bill passes first reading in Parliament". nzherald.co.nz. 17 December 2017. Archived from the original on 17 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Hogan, Finn (6 March 2018). "Submissions close at midnight for controversial End of Life Choice Bill". Newshub. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "End of Life Choice Bill: Bill History". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
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