AI-assisted research summary: A health care directive must meet several formal requirements to be legally sufficient, and some people are not allowed to serve as the health care agent, witness, or notary in specified situations.
§ Subdivision 1.Legal sufficiency. To be legally sufficient in this state, a health care directive must: (1) be in writing; (2) be dated; (3) state the principal's name; (4) be executed by a principal with capacity to do so with the signature of the principal or with the signature of another person authorized by the principal to sign on behalf of the principal; (5) contain verification of the principal's signature or the signature of the person authorized by the principal to sign on behalf of the principal, either by a notary public or by witnesses as provided under this chapter; and (6) include a health care instruction, a health care power of attorney, or both. § Subd. 2.Individuals ineligible to act as health care agent. (a) An individual appointed by the principal under section 145C.05, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), to make the determination of the principal's decision-making capacity is not eligible to act as the health care agent. (b) The following individuals are not eligible to act as the health care agent, unless the individual appointed is related to the principal by blood, marriage, registered domestic partnership, or adoption, or unless the principal has otherwise specified in the health care directive: (1) a health care provider attending the principal on the date of execution of the health care directive or on the date the health care agent must make decisions for the principal; or (2) an employee of a health care provider attending the principal on the date of execution of the health care directive or on the date the health care agent must make decisions for the principal. § Subd. 3.Individuals ineligible to act as witnesses or notary public. (a) A health care agent or alternate health care agent appointed in a health care power of attorney may not act as a witness or notary public for the execution of the health care directive that includes the health care power of attorney. (b) At least one witness to the execution of the health care directive must not be a health care provider providing direct care to the principal or an employee of a health care provider providing direct care to the principal on the date of execution. A person notarizing a health care directive may be an employee of a health care provider providing direct care to the principal.