SSB 5883 authorizes unaccompanied homeless minors to provide informed consent for nonemergency, outpatient, primary care services. These services include physical examinations, vision examinations and eyeglasses, dental examinations, hearing examinations and hearing aids, immunizations, treatments for illnesses and conditions, and routine follow-up care. This bill excludes elective surgeries. A healthcare provider may request documentation that the minor is an unaccompanied homeless youth before providing treatment. A healthcare provider or facility is immune in any action, civil or criminal, or other disciplinary action when reliance is based on a declaration signed under penalty of perjury. A health care provider may rely on the representations or declaration stating that the patient is an unaccompanied homeless youth if the health care provider does not have actual notice of the falsity of the statements.
Amendment:
5883-S: Strikes the proposed substitute bill. Requires the Attorney General’s Office to post information on the Mature Minor Doctrine on their website for health care providers and potentially impacted parties. Requires the Attorney General’s Office to report to the legislature on its findings and recommendations.
