SB198 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phillip W. Williams

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

SB198 would ban aiding in dying and impose penalties, with defined terms and limited medical exceptions.

What This Bill Does

It prohibits a person or health care provider from providing aid in dying, making violations a Class C felony. It creates civil liability and permits wrongful death actions, and it subjects doctors and other health care providers to professional disciplinary actions for violations. It also outlines allowed medical actions (such as withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment and providing palliative care) and explains how the bill interacts with constitutional rules about local government funding, with an effective date after passage.

Who It Affects

• Individuals who might provide or request aid in dying; these actions could lead to criminal penalties and civil liability.
• Health care professionals (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.) and the licensing boards that oversee them; they could face criminal charges, professional discipline (license suspension or revocation), and potential civil liability.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits providing aid in dying and makes aiding suicide a Class C felony; includes civil damages and wrongful death actions for violations; and imposes professional license consequences for health care providers who deliberately aid in dying.
• Defines key terms (aid in dying, health care provider, life-sustaining treatment, etc.), allows certain actions such as withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, palliative care, and pain relief, and addresses the bill’s relation to local-funding amendment requirements with an effective date after governor 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