California Moves To Extend, Streamline Assisted Death Law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers moved Friday to widen and streamline the state’s assisted decease law, reducing the clip until terminal patients tin get the fatal drugs.

The existent minimum 15-day waiting play required betwixt the clip patients marque abstracted oral requests for medicine would beryllium reduced to 48 hours. The bill would besides destruct a existent request that a diligent marque a last written attestation wrong 48 hours of taking the medication.

READ MORE: Caldor Fire Evacuees Return Home Amid Red Flag Warning Concerns

“It became wide that immoderate well-intentioned aspects of the instrumentality service arsenic barriers for terminally sick patients who question assistance successful dying,” Democratic Assemblyman Jim Wood said.

Plenty of safeguards stay successful the bill, helium and different proponents said.

The instrumentality that took effect successful June 2016 had been acceptable to expire successful different 5 years, but the measure would support it successful spot until 2031.

More than 2,800 radical person received a medicine since the instrumentality took effect, Wood said, of which much than 1,800 died from the drugs.

“There person been nary reported cases oregon instances of maltreatment oregon coercion,” helium said.

READ MORE: 20 Years Later: Wide Open Walls Hosts 9/11 Art Exhibit

The authorities Assembly precocious the measure Friday connected a 47-14 vote, sending it backmost to the Senate for last support earlier the Legislature adjourned for the twelvemonth connected Friday. That would nonstop it to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration.

No Assembly members spoke successful opposition.

However, Disability Rights California and the California Catholic Conference opposed the bill, citing inequities successful the wellness attraction strategy that harm radical with disabilities, the aging, and Black and Latino residents.

The measurement tin subtly unit radical who fearfulness “becoming a fiscal oregon affectional load to their families,” the Catholic Conference said.

“A atrocious time should not effect successful a decease sentence,” said the disabilities group.

“This measure is not astir helping radical die. It is astir allowing radical dignity and reducing suffering astatine the extremity of an unwinnable fight,” Democratic Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry said,

MORE NEWS: Overturned Semi-Truck Completely Blocks Westbound I-80 In Placer County

New Mexico earlier this twelvemonth reduced its waiting play to 48 hours, she said.