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House expands do‑not‑resuscitate directives to prehospital care; HB 299 passes 68‑2
Summary
The House passed HB 299 to allow physician‑certified terminally ill people to receive a do‑not‑resuscitate bracelet that EMTs would honor in prehospital settings; the bill passed the House 68‑2 and was referred to the Senate. Supporters said the change extends existing living‑will safeguards; critics warned of potential conflicts when third parties can sign the form.
The Utah House on the floor approved House Bill 299 on a 68‑2 vote, extending the state’s living‑will protections so a physician‑certified, terminally ill person can obtain a 'do not resuscitate' bracelet that emergency medical technicians would recognize and honor in prehospital settings.
Representative John L. Valentine, who introduced the bill, told colleagues the measure 'is a logical extension of the Living Will Act' to prehospital care and said it will make the bracelet consistent with how EMTs are trained to look for medical or military bracelets. He also noted the bill’s fiscal note is 'slightly under 10,000.'
The bill adds a mechanism for issuing a DNR bracelet outside a hospital when a patient has been certified as terminal by an attending physician and has executed the required documentation under the existing living‑will statute. Valentine read the statute’s definition of a 'terminal condition,' explaining that the certification by the attending physician is a required precondition for any do‑not‑resuscitate agreement.
Some members raised concerns about delegation of signing authority. Representative Proxmire asked whether allowing an attorney‑in‑fact, a spouse, parents, or an adult child to sign on a declarant’s behalf could create a conflict of interest — for example, a relative who might benefit financially from an early death. The sponsor and other supporters responded that those delegation provisions are carried verbatim from the current living‑will statute and that the statute requires physician certification and includes witness safeguards intended to reduce abuse. As the sponsor put it, 'That has to be certified by a ... attending physician.'
Supporters included several representatives who described personal or family reasons for backing the bill and said committee review had been unanimous. Opponents urged caution about EMTs acting in the field without a physician present, warning that an emergency scene might not be the appropriate time to determine whether a previously expressed preference should be honored.
The House closed debate and the clerk recorded the vote as 68 affirmative and 2 negative; HB 299 was referred to the Senate for further consideration.
