S-413 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL NO. 5077
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 51st Legislature 1989 Regular Session
By Senators Craswell, West, Rasmussen and Owen
Read first time 1/11/89 and referred to Committee on Health Care & Corrections.
AN ACT Relating to standards of care for institutions; adding a new section to chapter 18.51 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.41 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 72.01 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.51 RCW to read as follows:
No nursing home or employee or agent of a nursing home may:
(1) Withhold or withdraw food or water from any person, including a terminally ill person, to deliberately cause death. This section does not apply to a person who is physically unable to tolerate the administration of food or water; or
(2) Administer any lethal drug or treatment to deliberately cause death to any person, including a terminally ill person.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 70.41 RCW to read as follows:
No hospital or employee or agent of a hospital may:
(1) Withhold or withdraw food or water from any person, including a terminally ill person, to deliberately cause death. This section does not apply to a person who is physically unable to tolerate the administration of food or water; or
(2) Administer any lethal drug or treatment to deliberately cause death to any person, including a terminally ill person.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 72.01 RCW to read as follows:
No state institution or employee or agent of a state institution may:
(1) Withhold or withdraw food or water from any person, including a terminally ill person, to deliberately cause death. This section does not apply to a person who is physically unable to tolerate the administration of food or water; or
(2) Administer any lethal drug or treatment to deliberately cause death to any person, including a terminally ill person.