Maine LD 613: An Act To Amend The Maine Death With Dignity Act To Ensure Access By Qualified Patients

Bill Text

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STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 381 - L.D. 613
An Act to Amend the Maine Death with Dignity Act to Ensure Access by
Qualified Patients
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2140, sub-§11, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 271, §4, is repealed
and the following enacted in its place:
11. Written and oral requests; waiting periods. To receive a prescription for
medication that the qualified patient may self-administer under this Act, a qualified patient
must make 2 oral requests, at least 15 days apart, and a written request to the qualified
patient's attending physician. At the time the qualified patient makes the qualified patient's
2nd oral request, the attending physician shall offer the qualified patient an opportunity to
rescind the request. The date the qualified patient signs the written request must be no
earlier than 15 days after the initial oral request. At least 48 hours must elapse between the
date the qualified patient signs the written request and the writing of a prescription under
this Act.
The attending physician may waive a portion of the waiting periods required in this
subsection if, in the attending physician's medical opinion, it is in the best interests of the
qualified patient, given the qualified patient's condition, as long as the waiting period in
total is no less than 7 days.
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §2140, sub-§13, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 271, §4, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §2140, sub-§14, ¶F, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 271, §4, is
amended to read:
F. The attending physician's offer to the patient to rescind the patient's request at the
time of the patient's 2nd oral request under subsection 11; and
Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §2140, sub-§14, ¶G, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 271, §4, is
amended to read:
G. A note by the attending physician indicating that all requirements under this Act
have been met, including the requirements of subsection 6, and indicating the steps
APPROVED
JUNE 20, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
375
PUBLIC LAW

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taken to carry out the patient's request, including a notation of the medication
prescribed.; and
Sec. 5. 22 MRSA §2140, sub-§14, ¶H is enacted to read:
H. When a portion of the waiting periods under this section has been waived pursuant
to subsection 11, a note by the attending physician that, in the attending physician's
medical opinion, it is in the best interests of the qualified patient to waive a portion of
the waiting periods, given the qualified patient's condition, and what portion of the
waiting periods has been waived. The waiting period in total may not be less than 7
days.