Ala. Code § 26-1A-404 (1975) Health Care Powers of Attorney Executed On Or After January 1, 2012

• Library: Alabama Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current with legislation from the 2023 Regular and Special Sessions.
• Year: 2023
• Citation: Ala. Code § 26-1A-404 (1975)

(a) This section applies to a power of attorney for health care decisions executed on or after January 1, 2012.

(b) A durable power of attorney is a power of attorney by which a principal designates another his or her attorney in fact or agent in writing and the writing contains the words "This power of attorney shall not be affected by disability, incompetency, or incapacity of the principal" or "This power of attorney shall become effective upon the disability, incompetency, or incapacity of the principal" or similar words showing the intent of the principal that the authority conferred shall be exercisable notwithstanding the principal's subsequent disability, incompetency, or incapacity.

(c)

(1) A principal may designate under a durable power of attorney an individual who shall be empowered to make health care decisions on behalf of the principal, in the manner set forth in the Natural Death Act, if in the opinion of the principal's attending physician the principal is no longer able to give directions to health care providers. Subject to the express limitation on the authority of the attorney in fact contained in the durable power of attorney, the attorney in fact may make any health care decision on behalf of the principal that the principal could make but for the lack of capacity of the principal to make a decision, but not including psychosurgery, sterilization, abortion when not necessary to preserve the life of the principal, or involuntary hospitalization or treatment covered by Subtitle 2 of Title 22. A durable power of attorney executed pursuant to this section may be revoked by written revocation signed and dated by the principal or person acting at the direction of the principal, or being obliterated, burnt, torn, or otherwise destroyed or defaced in a manner indicating intention to cancel or by a verbal expression of intent to revoke made in the presence of a witness 19 years of age or older who signs and dates a writing confirming an expression to revoke.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, an attorney in fact shall have the authority to make decisions regarding provision, withholding, or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and artificially provided nutrition and hydration but only a. if specifically authorized to do so in the durable power of attorney, b. if the substantive provisions of the durable power of attorney are in substantial compliance and if the durable power of attorney is executed and accepted in substantially the same form as set forth in the Alabama Natural Death Act, and c. in instances of terminal illness or injury or permanent unconsciousness, if the authority is implemented in the manner permitted under the Alabama Natural Death Act. All durable powers of attorney executed prior to January 1, 2012, shall be effective to the extent specifically provided therein notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection. The decisions made by the attorney in fact shall be implemented in accordance with the same procedures set forth in the Alabama Natural Death Act for health care proxies.