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Bill

SB 550

Health Care Decisions Act - Surrogate Decision Making - Mental Disorders

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Nick Charles

SB 550 creates legal surrogate decision-making authority for incapacitated patients with mental disorders, establishing succession order and medical decision standards.

Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · SB 550

Legislative bill overview

SB 550 establishes a legal framework for surrogate decision-making in health care situations involving individuals with mental disorders who lack decision-making capacity. The bill outlines who can serve as surrogates, in what order they may be designated, and what standards they must follow when making medical decisions on behalf of incapacitated patients with mental health conditions.

Why is this important

This legislation addresses a significant gap in health care decision-making for vulnerable populations—individuals with severe mental illness who cannot consent to treatment. It protects patient rights while ensuring timely medical decisions can be made, particularly important given that many mental health crises require rapid intervention and families often shoulder decision-making responsibilities without clear legal authority.

Potential points of contention

  • Surrogate selection hierarchy: Disagreements may arise over whether the bill's order of surrogate preference (likely family members first) adequately represents patient autonomy or could override previously expressed wishes
  • Mental disorder definition and capacity assessment: Questions about which conditions qualify and how incapacity is determined—concerns that overly broad definitions could restrict autonomy of people with mental illness who retain decision-making ability
  • Conflict with existing advance directives: Potential tension between surrogate decisions and previously documented patient preferences, particularly regarding psychiatric medications or involuntary treatment

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

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