HB496 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arnold MooneyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Assisted Suicide Ban Act, established, person or health care provider prohibited from providing aid in dying under certain conditions, civil and criminal penalties

Summary

HB496 would ban assisted suicide in Alabama by making it illegal for a person or health care provider to aid in dying, with civil and criminal penalties, while allowing certain end-of-life medical practices.

What This Bill Does

The bill prohibits advising, assisting, or providing means for suicide and makes it a Class C felony for individuals who do so. It also makes it a Class C felony for physicians or health care providers who prescribe drugs or perform medical procedures to aid in dying, and it allows damages, wrongful-death actions, and licensing sanctions for violators. It defines key terms and sets out exemptions for actions like participating in capital punishment, withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, and providing palliative care. It includes a note about local-funding rules under Amendment 621, stating the bill is exempt from those requirements because it creates a new crime or amends an existing crime.

Who It Affects

• General public: anyone who might consider or be involved in helping someone commit suicide would be subject to criminal penalties.
• Health care providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.): could face criminal charges, civil damages, professional discipline, and license suspension or revocation for aiding in dying.
• Families or estates of someone who dies after assisted dying: may bring wrongful-death actions and seek damages.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits advising, assisting, or providing aid in dying by any person or health care provider (Class C felony for violators).
• Physicians or health care providers who prescribe drugs or perform procedures to aid in dying face Class C felony charges and could lose their license for unprofessional conduct.
• Allows damages and wrongful-death actions by survivors and imposes licensing discipline for violators.
• Defines key terms (aid in dying, deliberately, health care provider, life-sustaining treatment, etc.) and lists explicit exemptions (death penalty execution, withholding/withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, palliative care).
• Notes that the bill is intended to be exempt from local-funding requirements of Amendment 621 because it creates or amends a crime.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health Care