Senate · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB610: SB610 "Georgia Death and Dignity Act"; enact

Last action March 3, 2026 · Senate Read and Referred

A Georgia Senate bill called the 'Georgia Death with Dignity Act' would let terminally ill adult Georgia residents ask a doctor for medication to end their lives, under a detailed set of medical and legal safeguards.

In plain language

Georgia currently has no law allowing physicians to prescribe medication for a terminally ill patient to end their own life. This bill would create that option by adding a new chapter to Title 31 of Georgia's health code. To qualify, a person must be an adult Georgia resident, have a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less confirmed by two physicians, and be judged mentally capable of making an informed decision. The individual must make two oral requests at least three days apart and one written request witnessed by two people, then self-administer the medication themselves; no one else may administer it. The bill spells out physician duties, documentation and state reporting requirements, protections against insurance or contract discrimination based on a person's choice to use this option, and legal immunity for healthcare providers who participate in good faith. It also creates new felonies, punishable by one to five years in prison, for forging a request or coercing someone into requesting the medication. The bill does not legalize euthanasia or lethal injection.

What the bill does

Creates a new legal pathway (O.C.G.A. Title 31, Chapter 55) for terminally ill Georgia adults to request medication to end their own lives under medical supervision.
Requires two physicians to confirm a terminal diagnosis with a prognosis of six months or less and confirm the patient is mentally capable before medication can be prescribed.
Sets procedural requirements including two oral requests three days apart, a written request witnessed by two people, and a right to rescind the request at any time.
Creates two new felonies, punishable by one to five years in prison, for forging a request, destroying a rescission, or coercing a terminally ill person into requesting the medication.
Protects healthcare providers from civil, criminal, or professional discipline for good-faith participation, while allowing them to opt out and allowing healthcare facilities to restrict use on their premises.
Prohibits insurers and contracts from conditioning coverage, benefits, or rates on whether a person makes or rescinds such a request.

Who it affects

Terminally ill adult Georgia residents and their families, attending and consulting physicians, licensed mental health professionals, pharmacists, hospices and other healthcare facilities, insurers, and the Georgia Department of Public Health, which would collect and review related records.

Why it matters

If enacted, terminally ill Georgians meeting strict medical and residency conditions could legally obtain medication to end their lives, something not currently allowed under Georgia law. It also sets new duties for physicians, new protections for participating providers, and new criminal penalties for coercion or fraud.

Key provisions

Section 31-55-1 defines key terms, including 'qualified individual,' 'terminal illness' (incurable, will result in death), and 'prognosis of six months or less.'
Section 31-55-2 and 31-55-3 set eligibility rules and require two oral requests three days apart plus a witnessed written request in a specified form.
Section 31-55-5 through 31-55-7 require attending and consulting physicians, and if needed a licensed mental health professional, to confirm diagnosis, prognosis, and mental capacity before prescribing.
Section 31-55-8 provides that death under this chapter is recorded as caused by the underlying terminal illness and is not subject to post-mortem inquiry.
Section 31-55-10 requires physicians to document each step in the patient's medical record and requires the Department of Public Health to review a sample of records annually and publish statistics, while keeping individual records confidential.
Section 31-55-14 bars insurers from altering rates, coverage, or benefits based on a person's request under this chapter.
Section 31-55-15 through 31-55-17 shield good-faith participating providers from liability and discipline, while letting providers and facilities decline to participate.
Section 31-55-18 creates felony penalties of one to five years in prison for forging a request, destroying a rescission, or coercing someone into requesting the medication.

Status timeline

2026-03-03Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2026-02-26Senate Hopper (Senate)

Topics

medical aid in dying
end-of-life care
terminally ill patients
physician regulation
health law