Yet another state has rightly decided that the real concerns about physician assisted suicide are simply too significant to ignore. This time, Minnesota has decided to table the legislative debate on the subject. The hearing for this legislation, like so many around the country, brought the full weight of those concerns to bear, and it...
Read MoreOur effort to defeat physician assisted suicide legislation in Maryland was undertaken by a broad coalition with a range of important concerns brought to bear. Because of that breadth and depth of concern, we were able to defeat the legislation for now. But make no mistake, the proponents of this legislation will be back, and...
Read MoreWe have been thrilled with the positive developments in Maryland. So much so that we haven’t kept folks up to speed on the positive developments continuing around the country, fighting back against the misguided policy of physician assisted suicide. One such example of continued vigilance paying off is in Utah, where the legislature decided to...
Read MoreAgain, we know that the legislation to implement physician assisted suicide appears to thankfully have been defeated in this session, but we still want to recap the House and Senate hearings held on this bill. This is instructive for remembering how this legislation can be defeated in the future. In fact, this recap should instill...
Read MoreWe have obviously reached a turning point in the assisted suicide debate in Maryland. The legislation has been withdrawn in the Senate and, though unconfirmed, is likely to be withdrawn in the House. This happened because of incredible advocacy from a diverse coalition, and an unfailing drive to convey the real problems with the policy...
Read MoreWe are regaining momentum. After our Maryland House and Senate hearings, conveying strong opposition with clear and cogent points, we have plenty of work left to do. But we are confident in our progress, and the opposition to these proposals around the country is harder and harder to ignore. Just ask the people of Colorado. ...
Read MoreDuring the House committee hearing on HB 404, the lead proponent of the bill from Compassion and Choices (formerly the Hemlock Society) argued with a straight-face that requiring a patient to receive a mental health evaluation before they could qualify for physician assisted suicide would “unnecessarily slowdown” a patient’s access to assisted suicide. They cited...
Read MoreProponents of physician-assisted suicide struggled to answer the tough questions thrown at them at yesterday’s Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing on SB 418. The Committee met late into the night with Senators raising significant concerns with the bill and its lack of protections. The message from proponents, led by national group Compassion & Choices, was...
Read MoreRequiring a professional mental health evaluation would “unnecessarily slow down” patient’s access to physician assisted suicide. Terminal patients are in pain so this bill must be passed. [Including] too many regulatory requirements [in this bill] would make it impossible for a dying person to access death with dignity. It’s not falsifying the death certificate [by...
Read MoreFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kristen Cullen, 781-248-7154 Disability Groups Advocate against Physician Assisted Suicide Legislation February 19, 2016 – Annapolis, MD – Activists and stakeholders representing individuals with disabilities have joined with the Maryland Against Physician Assisted Suicide coalition in opposition of the “Aid in Dying” legislation that would legalize physician-assisted suicide in Maryland. House...
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