In a 43-34 vote Wednesday, the California Assembly approved a measure legalizing physician-assisted suicide.
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The invoice makes it a felony to coerce, trick or drive somebody into taking the medicine. The legislation will now move to the Senate, which has until Friday to approve the measure.
After two hours of debate, the assembly passed legislation with a 42 to 33 vote. It now heads to the state Senate, where it’s also expected to pass.
However, California Governor Jerry Brown, a lifelong Catholic, has not said whether he will sign it into law. Anyone could ask their doctor for assisted suicide, but the law gives the authority to doctors to determine who is eligible.
“People are counting on us to win the freedom to end their life the way they choose”, said Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman, D-Stockton, co-author of the legislation, the Mercury News reported. “Most people thinks this means ‘dying, ‘” Dore said. But in Oregon, the majority of assisted suicides involve a doctor referred by Compassion and Choices (C&C).
“In my law practice, I started out working in guardianships, wills and probate, and saw abuse of all kinds, especially where there was money involved (where there’s a will, there are heirs)”, Dore explained.
The bill’s authors also added an amendment that would sunset the law after a decade, making it effective only until January 1, 2026, if passed (California Healthline, 9/8). “If you resisted or struggled, who would know?”
Democratic Sen. Marty Block of San Diego says AB305 is the latest in a series of bills meant to remove gender bias in the workplace.
“The Health Care Special Session was intended to determine funding for Californians with developmental disabilities, Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services, not to pave the way for doctor-assisted suicide in our state”.
The Assembly debate was quite intense.
Brown, a Democrat who was a Jesuit seminary scholar earlier than getting into politics, has not taken a place on the laws.
“Let’s put kids rights first, not Internet privacy”, he said. He is now a husband and father. However, strong opposition has come from Catholic groups. The bill is co-sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of California, Electronic Frontier Foundation and California Newspaper Publishers Association.
Leading pro-life groups have condemned the jury-rigging of two Assembly committees that approved the legislation. The Change the Mascot campaign, whose representatives including Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter testified at the Senate Education Committee Hearing on June 17, is applauding the Senate’s 25-10 passage of Assembly Bill 30 (AB 30) – The California Racial Mascots Act. Supporters of the measure argued that terminally ill Californians should have the choice to die peacefully and without pain. “While pro-family advocates often have their differences with the governor, in this case we wholeheartedly agree”.
Mitchell says the $8 million annual cost would help avoid costly financial settlements when people are killed unlawfully by police.
The measure generally would require that law enforcement get a judge’s approval before searching emails, text messages and geographic location information stored on the Internet and on smartphones, tablets, laptops and other digital devices.
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SB443 requires that a person be criminally convicted before California governments can share the proceeds of assets seized in federal actions.
