| This bill retains the current law concerning a patient in a |
| terminal condition or persistent vegetative state. In addition, |
| it authorizes a surrogate to make any health care decision for a |
| patient if the patient lacks capacity and no agent or guardian |
| exists. The decision whether to withhold or withdraw life- |
| sustaining treatment is limited to the following circumstances |
| described by current law: when the patient is in a terminal |
| condition or a persistent vegetative state. The surrogate can |
| make any health care decision other than withholding or |
| withdrawing life-sustaining treatment for a patient in any |
| circumstance as long as there is no agent or guardian. |
