| 6 | 4 | | 95th General Assembly A Bill 2 |
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| 7 | 5 | | Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1734 3 |
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| 8 | 6 | | 4 |
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| 9 | 7 | | By: Representative Childress 5 |
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| 10 | 8 | | By: Senator K. Hammer 6 |
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| 11 | 9 | | 7 |
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| 12 | 10 | | For An Act To Be Entitled 8 |
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| 13 | 11 | | AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DEATH 9 |
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| 14 | 12 | | CERTIFICATES; TO CLARIFY THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS 10 |
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| 15 | 13 | | WHO MAY SIGN A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH AND 11 |
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| 16 | 14 | | PRONOUNCE DEATH OF A PATIENT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12 |
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| 17 | 15 | | 13 |
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| 18 | 16 | | 14 |
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| 19 | 17 | | Subtitle 15 |
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| 20 | 18 | | TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DEATH 16 |
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| 21 | 19 | | CERTIFICATES; AND TO CLARIFY THE MEDICAL 17 |
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| 22 | 20 | | PROFESSIONALS WHO MAY SIGN A MEDICAL 18 |
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| 23 | 21 | | CERTIFICATE OF DEATH AND PRONOUNCE DEATH 19 |
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| 24 | 22 | | OF A PATIENT. 20 |
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| 25 | 23 | | 21 |
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| 26 | 24 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22 |
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| 27 | 25 | | 23 |
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| 28 | 26 | | SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 20 -18-601(c)(3), concerning the signature 24 |
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| 29 | 27 | | for a medical certification of death and the pronouncement of death, is 25 |
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| 30 | 28 | | amended to read as follows: 26 |
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| 31 | 29 | | (3)(A) A registered nurse employed by the attending hospice may 27 |
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| 32 | 30 | | complete and sign the medical certification of death and pronounce death for 28 |
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| 33 | 31 | | a patient who is terminally ill, whose death is anticipated, who is receiving 29 |
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| 34 | 32 | | services from a hospice program certified under § 20 -7-117, and who dies in a 30 |
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| 35 | 33 | | hospice inpatient program or as a hospice patient in a nursing home or 31 |
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| 36 | 34 | | hospital. 32 |
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| 37 | | - | (B) An advanced practice registered nurse may complete and 33 |
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| 38 | | - | sign the medical certificate of death and pronounce death of a patient in a 34 |
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| 39 | | - | hospital setting if the advanced practice registered nurse is given authority 35 |
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| 40 | | - | by the medical staff of the hospital and a physician other than an emergency 36 As Engrossed: H3/17/25 S4/8/25 HB1734 |
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| 35 | + | (B) Except as provided under subdivision (c)(3)(A) of this 33 |
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| 36 | + | section and subdivision (c)(4) of this section, a registered nurse shall not 34 |
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| 37 | + | complete and sign the medical certification of death or pronounce death for a 35 |
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| 38 | + | patient. 36 HB1734 |
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