Title 23
Health and Safety

Chapter 4.11
Rights of the Terminally Ill Act

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-4.11-9

§ 23-4.11-9. Penalties.

(a) Failure of a physician to transfer a patient pursuant to § 23-4.11-7 shall constitute “unprofessional conduct” as that term is used in § 5-37-5.1.

(b) Failure of a physician to record the determination of terminal condition pursuant to § 23-4.11-5 shall constitute “unprofessional conduct” as that term is used in § 5-37-5.1.

(c) Any person who willfully conceals, cancels, defaces, or obliterates the declaration of another absent the declarant’s consent or direction or who falsifies or forges a revocation of the declaration of another shall be imprisoned for no less than six (6) months but no more than one year, or shall be fined not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) but no more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(d) Any person who falsifies or forges the declaration of another, or willfully conceals or withholds personal knowledge of a revocation as provided in § 23-4.11-4 with the intent to cause a withholding or withdrawal of life sustaining procedures, shall be imprisoned for no less than one year but no more than five (5) years, or shall be fined not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) but no more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

(e) In addition to the sanctions and/or penalties mentioned in this section, any physician or person referred to in this section or in violation of this section, shall be civilly liable.

History of Section.
P.L. 1991, ch. 166, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 308, § 1.