1     
MANSLAUGHTER AMENDMENTS

2     
2018 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Michael K. McKell

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Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill makes it an offense to aid another to commit suicide.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     expands the crime of manslaughter to include intentionally and knowingly
14     providing another with the physical means to commit suicide; and
15           ▸     makes technical changes.
16     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17          None
18     Other Special Clauses:
19          None
20     Utah Code Sections Affected:
21     AMENDS:
22          76-5-205, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 157
23     

24     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25          Section 1. Section 76-5-205 is amended to read:
26          76-5-205. Manslaughter.
27          (1) As used in this section:
28          (a) (i) "Aid" means the act of providing the physical means.
29          (ii) "Aid" does not include the withholding or withdrawal of life sustaining treatment
30     procedures to the extent allowed under Title 75, Chapter 2a, Advance Health Care Directive
31     Act, or any other laws of this state.
32          (b) "Practitioner" means an individual currently licensed, registered, or otherwise
33     authorized by law to administer, dispense, distribute, or prescribe medications or procedures in
34     the course of professional practice.
35          (c) "Provides" means to administer, prescribe, distribute, or dispense.
36          [(1) Criminal] (2) Except as provided in Subsection (5), criminal homicide constitutes
37     manslaughter if the actor:
38          (a) recklessly causes the death of another;
39          (b) intentionally, and with knowledge that another individual intends to commit suicide
40     or attempt to commit suicide, aids the other individual to commit suicide;
41          [(b)] (c) commits a homicide which would be murder, but the offense is reduced
42     pursuant to Subsection 76-5-203(4); or
43          [(c)] (d) commits murder, but special mitigation is established under Section
44     76-5-205.5.
45          [(2)] (3) Manslaughter is a felony of the second degree.
46          [(3)] (4) (a) In addition to the penalty [provided] described under this section or any
47     other section, [a person] an individual who is convicted of violating this section shall have the
48     [person's] individual's driver license revoked under Section 53-3-220 if the death of another
49     [person] individual results from driving a motor vehicle.
50          (b) The court shall forward the report of the conviction resulting from driving a motor
51     vehicle to the Driver License Division in accordance with Section 53-3-218.
52          (5) A practitioner does not violate Subsection (2)(b) if the practitioner provides
53     medication or a procedure to treat an individual's illness or relieve an individual's pain or
54     discomfort, regardless of whether the medication or procedure may hasten or increase the risk
55     of death to the individual to whom the practitioner provides the medication or procedure,
56     unless the practitioner intentionally and knowingly provides the medication or procedure to aid
57     the individual to commit suicide or attempt to commit suicide.
58