California Senator Introduces New Bill to Expand Medical Aid in Dying!

Through the efforts of Hemlock Society members, who formed a grassroots politicaly lobbying organization called A Better Exit, State Senator Catherine Blackspear has introduced a bill that would expand access to Medical Aid in Dying. Many thanks to Marcia Hofer, Janet Hager, Christie Golemb, and Barry Price who devoted countless hours to make this bill a reality.

The bill, SB 1196, would change the terminal illness requirement for MAID to, “a grievous and irremediable medical condition”, which would have to meet the following criteria: a person would need to be “in a state of irreversible decline in capability” due to illness, a person would have to have physical or psychological suffering that they haven’t been able to relieve and “it is reasonably foreseeable that the condition will become the individual’s natural cause of death.” It would broaden eligibility.

In addition to changing that language, the bill would also expand aid-in-dying medication “to those with early to mid-stage dementia.” The bill would also remove the 48-hour waiting period in between oral requests and the California residency requirement. Click here to read the fact sheet

To learn more about the SB 1196 and what you can do to support it, join us at our Zoom Webinar on Sunday, May 19th from 1:30 to 3:00pm. Click on the event announcement above to register for the free webinar.