California: Assisted suicide legislation approved by lawmakers “Report”

The California Assembly approved legislation Wednesday that would allow terminally ill patients to legally end their lives, sending the proposal to the state Senate, which is expected to endorse it.

The measure, which passed by a vote of 42-33, would allow doctors to prescribe life-ending medication.

The bill now heads to the state Senate where it is expected to pass.

The move comes nearly a year after the highly-publicised death of right-to-die advocate Brittany Maynard.

The 29-year-old moved to Oregon last year to legally take her life after she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

Her story rekindled debate across the country on the issue of assisted suicide.

California’s Democratic Governor Jerry Brown has not said whether he will sign the bill if it lands on his desk.

A similar measure failed to get through the state Assembly earlier this year amid impassioned debate.

Supporters of the bill argued that Californians should be able to die without pain.

Opponents said some people who are ill, especially among the elderly and those with disabilities, might be unduly influenced by people close to them to end their lives.

The End of Life Option Act requires patients to submit three in-person requests for end-of life medication to their attending physician.

Under the guidelines of the revised bill, two of the requests must be done orally – a minimum of 15 days apart – and the third request must be submitted in writing.

Agencies/Canadajournal