Maryland

Compassion & Choices held a hugely successful lobby day on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 in Annapolis. Over 185 supporters and 15 bill sponsors in yellow t-shirts walked the halls of Annapolis urging their legislators to pass the End of Life Option Act chanting, “The Time is NOW!”

Compassion & Choices is dedicated to passing the Maryland Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End of Life Option Act (HB643) and companion bill SB 701, which would authorize medical aid in dying in Maryland.

There is unprecedented momentum to pass these bills, with changing leadership in the House and Senate and unparalleled support from people like you. Sadly, three bill champions died in 2019, Speaker Michael E. Busch, U.S. Rep./former Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Cummings, and Compassion & Choices’ terminally ill volunteer Marcy Rubin. We honor their legacy and say the time is now to pass this bill.

Compassion & Choices kicked off the 2020 campaign to pass the Maryland Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End of Life Option Act by sponsoring the Annapolis Summit to mark the opening day of the legislative session on Jan. 8, 2020.

The event enabled Maryland Campaign Director Donna Smith and her colleagues to speak directly to Governor Larry Hogan, Senate President Nominee Bill Ferguson and Speaker Adrienne Jones about the urgency to pass this bill.

Compassion & Choices continues to build grassroots support for medical aid-in-dying in Maryland. You can help! As a volunteer with Compassion & Choices, you’ll join thousands of dedicated supporters who want to transform the medical systems in this country and give people the options they want and deserve to chart their own end-of-life journey. Compassion & Choices is dedicated to improving care and expanding options for the end of life. Volunteers work diligently to build grassroots support for end-of-life liberty.

Action teams are a critical part of Compassion & Choices. Maryland has action teams in Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County and Baltimore City. They bring together and train other volunteers in their area to coordinate outreach efforts to local officials, and educate communities and health professionals. They are advancing municipal resolutions hosting educational forums, meeting with religious leaders, and deepening support in the medical and hospice communities. If you’re interested in starting an action team in your area, please click here.

Get more information about Maryland.

History

The Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End-of-Life Option Actwas first introduced in the 2015 session by Delegate Shane Pendergrass in the Health and Government Operations Committee (HGO) and in the Judiciary Committee by Senator Ron Young. Despite getting a record number of cosponsors (52 in 2015), the bill did not come up for a vote.

The 2016 campaign for medical aid in dying in Maryland demonstrated a surge of support for expanded end-of-life options. As lawmakers considered the Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End-of-Life Option Act (HB0404 and SB0418), Compassion & Choices supporters, joined by a broad, diverse array of backers, met with lawmakers, testified, rallied and made their views known. Over 100 supporters showed up to Lobby Day, and seven media outlets covered that day of events.

Maryland Delegate Pendergrass, along with 44 cosponsors, introduced House Bill 370, the Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End-of-Life option Act, on January 25, 2017. Senator Guy Guzzone with 13 cosponsors introduced a companion bill, Senate Bill 354. Senator Guzzone decided to withdraw the bill on March 3, 2017, because there was not enough support to get it out of committee.

The Maryland Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End of Life Option Act was reintroduced in the state House and Senate on January 30, 2019. On January 29, Compassion & Choices held a successful Lobby Day with over 150 attendees donning our signature yellow. Our supporters, volunteers and staff canvassed the halls of the legislative services building, spoke to their representatives and garnered support for the bill. On March 3, 2019, the Maryland Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End-of-Life Option Act passed two committees (Maryland Health and Government Operations/Judiciary Committee) in a 24 to 20 vote.

On March 7, 2019, the Maryland Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer End-of-Life Option Act (SB311/HB399) passed a full House vote (74-66). The bill moved to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee where it failed to pass.

Polling Data

Maryland State Medical Society (MedChi) survey, June – July 2016

» Six out of 10 Maryland physicians (60%) supported changing the Maryland State Medical Society’s position on Maryland’s 2016 aid-in-dying legislation from opposing the bill to supporting it (47%) or adopting a neutral stance (13%).

Momentum Analysis poll, Feb. 2016

» Nearly two out of three Maryland voters (65%) said they “support allowing a mentally capable adult, who is dying of a terminal disease with no hope of recovery, the option to ask for medication to bring about their own death”

Click here for full Maryland polling data.

More from Maryland

Citizen Lobbyists Flood Statehouse to Press for End-of-Life Option bill

Maryland Advance Directive

History

Polling Data

Resources