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HF 708

A bill for an act relating to health care decisions related to palliative care, hospice programs, life-sustaining procedures, and out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Michael Bergan

Summary of HF 708 - Palliative Care and End-of-Life Decisions OverviewHF 708 is a bill introduced in the state legislature on March 3, 2025 that aims to provide more comprehensive

Comittee vote: Yeas, 20. Nays, 0. Excused, 1. H.J. 02/03.
#hospiceservices #lifesupport #medicalcare #out-of-hospitaldo-not-resuscitateorders #powerofattorney
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Bill Summary · HF 708

Summary of HF 708 - Palliative Care and End-of-Life Decisions

Overview

HF 708 is a bill introduced in the state legislature on March 3, 2025 that aims to provide more comprehensive legal frameworks and protections around palliative care, hospice services, life-sustaining procedures, and out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders.

Key Provisions

The bill includes the following main elements:

  1. Palliative Care Protections: Requires health care facilities to inform patients about palliative care options and allows patients to receive palliative care concurrently with curative treatment.

  2. Hospice Program Standards: Establishes minimum standards and requirements for hospice programs, including staffing levels, training, and patient assessment procedures.

  3. Life-Sustaining Procedures: Permits individuals to execute legally binding orders to decline life-sustaining procedures in certain end-of-life situations. These orders would be recognized statewide.

  4. Out-of-Hospital DNR Orders: Creates a standardized process for individuals to obtain out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders that would be valid across different health care settings.

  5. Power of Attorney Clarifications: Clarifies the authority of health care powers of attorney to make decisions about palliative care, hospice, life-sustaining procedures, and DNR orders on behalf of incapacitated individuals.

Potential Impact

If passed, this legislation could have several important impacts:

  • Increase access to palliative care and improve quality of life for those with serious illnesses
  • Establish consistent standards and oversight for hospice programs statewide
  • Provide more legal protections and autonomy for individuals to make end-of-life decisions
  • Reduce confusion and inconsistencies around out-of-hospital DNR orders
  • Clarify the decision-making authority of health care powers of attorney in sensitive end-of-life situations

Overall, the bill aims to give patients and their families more control, support, and legal safeguards around palliative, hospice, and end-of-life care decisions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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