HB96 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mack N. ButlerRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

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

Summary

HB96 would ban assisting suicide and prohibit providing aid in dying, with criminal and civil penalties for violators.

What This Bill Does

The bill defines 'aid in dying' and related terms, makes it a Class C felony to deliberately assist or provide drugs to enable suicide, and allows damages and wrongful death claims. It also authorizes licensing boards to suspend or revoke a health care provider's license for violations and preserves allowed end-of-life actions such as withholding life-sustaining treatment, palliative care, and following patient wishes. It includes a constitutional funding note about local expenditures and states the act creates a new crime, so it is exempt from certain local-funding requirements. The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Health care providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.) would face criminal penalties, civil liability, and possible license suspension or revocation for aiding in dying.
• Patients at end of life and their families or estates would be protected from being helped to die and may pursue damages or wrongful death actions if the act is violated; end-of-life decisions like withholding treatment or providing comfort care remain allowed.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits deliberately providing aid in dying; violators face a Class C felony.
• Creates civil liability for damages and allows wrongful death actions by the decedent's estate if aid in dying occurs.
• Licensing boards may suspend or revoke a physician's or health care provider's license for aiding in dying.
• Defines key terms: aid in dying, artificially provided nutritional hydration, life-sustaining treatment, health care provider, suicide, and deliberate action.
• Preserves certain actions: participation in execution of a death-row inmate, withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment or artificial hydration per patient wishes, and providing palliative care to relieve pain.
• Addresses local funding (Amendment 621) and states the bill is exempt from certain local-funding requirements because it creates/defines a new crime.
• Effective date: first day of the third month after passage and governor's approval.

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