Compassion & Choices Action Network today praised Massachusetts Senators for voting the End of Life Options Act (S.1486) out of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Health Care Financing and to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
“This bill prevents terminally ill residents from needlessly suffering,” said Melissa Stacy, Regional Advocacy Director for Compassion & Choices Action Network. “We are encouraged that the latest committee activity has come more quickly than ever before and we are incredibly thankful to Chairwoman Friedman, Senator Cyr, Senator Payano, and Senator Feeney for their votes to move the bill forward favorably.”
The legislation would allow a mentally capable, terminally ill adult the option to request and self-ingest prescription medication to peacefully end their suffering if it becomes unbearable. It has a wide range of safeguards, including a requirement that two healthcare providers certify that a patient has a prognosis of six months or less to live, and makes it a crime to coerce a terminally ill person into using medical aid in dying.
“The bill offers qualified, terminally ill residents of the Commonwealth some measure of control and comfort in their last days,” Stacy added. “It is worth remembering that this legislation is modeled after the laws in 12 U.S. jurisdictions and has been safely practiced for nearly 30 years, starting with Oregon in 1997. We respectfully urge lawmakers to make passing this long overdue legislation a top priority.”
A statewide poll of 1,018 Massachusetts voters conducted by Beacon Research in March, 2023 showed that sizable majorities of every demographic group favor legalization. Nearly three out of four Massachusetts voters (73%) support the End of Life Options Act and nearly eight out of ten voters (79%) support the bill after they learn about its safeguards.
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