Lawmakers To Unveil New Effort To Pass Right-To-Die Legislation

On Tuesday, supporters of physician-assisted suicide in California are set to unveil a new plan to legalize the practice after similar legislation (SB 128) was withdrawn last month, the Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert" reports (White, "Capitol Alert," Sacramento Bee, 8/17).

Background

The End of Life Option Act, by state Sens. Lois Wolk (D-Davis) and Bill Monning (D-Carmel), would have allowed some dying patients to end their lives through lethal doses of medication. The measure would have required that:

• Medication is self-administered;
• The patient is mentally competent; and
• Two physicians confirm the prognosis that the patient has six months or less to live.

The authors of the bill withdrew it from an Assembly Committee on Health hearing in July amid a lack of support (California Healthline, 7/8).

After the measure was shelved, supporters vowed to continue pursuing the issue (Calefati, Inside Bay Area, 8/17).

Details of Effort

Compassion & Choices, which has launched a national effort for similar legislation, has issued a release teasing "a new plan to pass the End of Life Option Act" in California.

The plan is set to be released during a press conference on Tuesday. Several lawmakers are expected to attend.

A spokesperson for Assembly member Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), co-author of SB 128, would not provide specifics but confirmed that lawmakers will "detail a new plan."

Meanwhile, Monning said the new proposal likely will come in the form of an Assembly bill ("Capitol Alert," Sacramento Bee, 8/17).