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Alabama Code (Last Updated: November 28, 2014) |
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Title22 HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL. |
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Title1 HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL GENERALLY. |
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Chapter8A. TERMINATION OF LIFE-SUPPORT PROCEDURES. |
§22-8A-8. Refusal of health care provider to comply; penalties.
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(a) A health care provider who refuses to comply with a living will or the directions of a duly designated proxy or a duly appointed surrogate pursuant to this chapter shall promptly so advise the declarant and any individual designated to act for the declarant, shall not be liable for such refusal, but shall permit the patient to be transferred to another health care provider. Such health care provider shall reasonably cooperate to assist the declarant, or any individual designated to act for the declarant, in the timely transfer of the declarant to another health care provider that will follow the directions of the living will, health care proxy, or surrogate. During the time for the transfer, all life-sustaining treatments, including artificially provided nutrition and hydration, shall be properly maintained.
(b) No nurse, physician, or other health care provider may be required by law or contract in any circumstances to participate in the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment if such person objects to so doing. No person may be discriminated against in employment or professional privileges because of the person's participation or refusal to participate in the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.
(c) Any person who willfully conceals, cancels, defaces, obliterates or damages the advance directive for health care of another without the declarant's consent or who falsifies or forges a revocation of the advance directive for health care of another shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) Any person who falsifies or forges the advance directive for health care of another, or willfully conceals or withholds personal knowledge of the revocation of an advance directive for health care, with the intent to cause a withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment or artificially provided nutrition and hydration contrary to the wishes of the declarant, and thereby, because of such act, directly causes life-sustaining treatment or artificially provided nutrition and hydration to be withheld or withdrawn and death to be hastened, shall be guilty of a Class C felony.