Missouri legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Missouri HB3497: Establishes the "Death with Dignity Act"
Status: In committee, May 15, 2026
What the bill says
To amend chapters 191 and 565, RSMo, by adding thereto twenty-seven new sections relating to patient-directed care at the end of life. Section A. Chapters 191 and 565, RSMo, are amended by adding thereto twentyseven new sections, to be known as sections 191.2400, 191.2405, 191.2410, 191.2415, 191.2420, 191.2425, 191.2430, 191.2435, 191.2440, 191.2445, 191.2450, 191.2455, 191.2460, 191.2465, 191.2470, 191.2475, 191.2480, 191.2485, 191.2490, 191.2495, 191.2496, 191.2500, 191.2505, 191.2510, 191.2515, 191.2520, and 565.017, to read as follows: 191.2400. Sections 191.2400 to 191.2520 shall be know.
From the introduced text:
To amend chapters 191 and 565, RSMo, by adding thereto twenty-seven new sections relating to patient-directed care at the end of life. Section A. Chapters 191 and 565, RSMo, are amended by adding thereto twentyseven new sections, to be known as sections 191.2400, 191.2405, 191.2410, 191.2415, 191.2420, 191.2425, 191.2430, 191.2435, 191.2440, 191.2445, 191.2450, 191.2455, 191.2460, 191.2465, 191.2470, 191.2475, 191.2480, 191.2485, 191.2490, 191.2495, 191.2496, 191.2500, 191.2505, 191.2510, 191.2515, 191.2520, and 565.017, to read as follows: 191.2400. Sections 191.2400 to 191.2520 shall be known and may be cited as the "Death with Dignity Act". 191.2405. As used in sections 191.2400 to 191.2520, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms (2) "Attending physician", the physician who has primary responsibility for the care of a patient and the treatment of that patient's terminal disease; (3) "Competent", in the opinion of a court or in the opinion of the patient's attending physician or consulting physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist, a patient has the ability to make and communicate an informed decision to health care providers, including communication through persons familiar with the patient's manner of communicating if those persons are available; EXPLANATION -- Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed …