The lede:

A new California law requires physicians and health care organizations to provide terminally ill patients with “comprehensive information and counseling” about their legal end-of-life care options upon request.

The measure — known as the Terminal Patients’ Right to Know End-of-Life Options Act — says such patients have a right to be told about hospice care and advance directives, and their right to refuse life-sustaining treatment and to continue treatment while receiving palliative care. Patients also must be informed of their “right to comprehensive pain and symptom management at the end of life,” including “clinical treatments useful when a patient is actively dying.”

The law, which backers said is the first of its kind nationally, was supported by the California Medical Assn. after it was substantially changed. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill Sept. 30; the law takes effect Jan. 1, 2009.

The whole shebang.