Pennsylvania Enacts Advance Directive for Health Care Act

The following is from an e-mail message I received from Neil E. Hendershot of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania law firm of Goldberg Katzman, P.C., who also authors the PA Elder, Estate & Fiduciary Law Blog:

In Pennsylvania, on November 29th, Governor Rendell signed into law Senate Bill 628, which will take effect on January 29, 2007.

The Act changes the law of this Commonwealth on health care powers of attorney and living wills, reauthorizes out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders, and — for the first time — authorizes actions by health care representatives selected by relationship to the patient. 

The Act replaces Chapter 54 of Title 20 to provide a statutory means for competent adults to control their health care by written instructions, or through health care agents or representatives and requested orders.  It also provides for execution and revocation of living wills and health care powers of attorney with designated health care agents, and authorizes selection and duties of health care representatives in the absence of an agent designation.

The final form of SB 628 can be found here in PDF format.

For additional information, see Neil’s blog entry entitled Gov. Rendell Signs SB 628 into Law!, Nov. 29, 2006.