End-of-life bills among those facing New Hampshire legislature this week

[Thom Little]

The Legislature convenes for its 2006 session this week, with nearly 100 pieces of legislation, including Michelle's Law, expected to be considered tomorrow. Just as many should come up in the coming weeks.

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End-of-life decisions and who has a right to make them is one of the more contentious issues facing lawmakers. The House Judiciary Committee is divided over a proposed update of laws governing living wills and powers of attorney giving a relative or someone else legal authority to make health care decisions for the person.

To some degree, the debate parallels last year's legal battle over removing Terri Schiavo's feeding tube to allow her to die.

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The House will consider amending the rules and forms used by people to designate someone to make health care decisions for them if they no longer can communicate. A new section will make it clearer when a person does not want to be resuscitated. The new section allows a person — or designated agent if he or she cannot communicate — to create a do-not-resuscitate order with a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Rep. Maureen Mooney, R-Merrimack, said the section would put into law a practice now arranged with individual doctors, hospitals and other facilities.

She said the change would strengthen a person's ability to have his or her wishes followed.


http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=End-of-life+bills+among+those+facing+Legislature+this+week&articleId=a5fc4cde-ed0a-4d8c-baf6-3b225e8f3269