Ducey signs legislation on end-of-life actions

Law allows professionals to decline involvement

Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill intended to protect medical professionals and the facilities where they work from discrimination if they refuse to assist in end-of-life procedures.

His signature on Senate Bill 1439, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, came three days after the House of Representatives approved it. The bill drew the support of the Legislature’s Republicans, while Democrats voted against it.

The bill was among 21 measures the Republican governor signed. Ducey also delivered his first veto of the 2017 session. House Bill 2162 proposed residency requirements for justices of the peace and constables, mandating that candidates would have to have lived in the precinct from which they run for at least a year prior to filing for office.

It won unanimous approval in the Legislature. But Ducey called such a specific requirement “inappropriate” for such a narrow set of public offices.

Supporters viewed Barto’s end-oflife bill as a way to protect the religious freedom of health-care providers. It would prevent discrimination against doctors, nurses and other health-care providers if they decline to aid in activities that could lead to a person’s death, such as removing a feeding tube. But

critics said it once again inserts the Legislature into the relationship between patient and doctor and could conflict with advance directives.

Among the other bills getting Ducey’s signature were:

» HB 2047, which lowers to 18 the age at which workers can serve liquor. The current limit is age 19. It also will permit a staffer age 16 and older to check out and package liquor at an establishment where liquor is not the predominant merchandise, such as a grocery store. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jeff Weninger, R-Chandler, who runs a restaurant and has seen issues arise when servers can handle food but not deliver beer or wine to a patron.

» HB 2280, which requires electronic payment of all taxes, except individual income taxes, beginning next year. It was sponsored by Rep. Don Shooter RYuma.

» HB 2341 would prevent the license, certificate or registration of any National Guard member from expiring while the individual is on active federal duty. It was sponsored by Rep. Richard Andrade, D-Glendale.

» HB 2208 authorizes school personnel to help administer an inhaler to anyone having breathing problems such as asthma. It was sponsored by Rep. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek.

The bills will take effect later this year, after the Legislature adjourns.