Right-to-die creeps forward

California’s proposed right-to-die bill, Senate Bill 128, took a step forward on March 25 with the California Senate Health Committee’s vote of approval.

The End of Life Option Act, penned by state Sens. Lois Wolk (D-Davis) and William Monning (D-Carmel), would allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to patients with terminal illnesses, according to The Sacramento Bee. The bill would require the lethal medication be self-administered; the patient is mentally competent; two physicians confirm the prognosis that the patient has six months or less to live; and the patient’s physician discusses alternative treatment options, among other rules.

The bill drew strong opposition during the hearing on March 25. “Where assisted suicide is legal, some people’s lives will be ended without their consent through mistakes and abuse,” said Marilyn Golden, a senior policy analyst with the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.