Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta Records Video Endorsing CT Medical Aid-in-Dying Bill

New Poll Shows 75% of CT Voters Support Aid-in-Dying Bill, Including 72% of People of Color

Apr 13, 2021 Connecticut Dolores Huerta polling

Compassion & Choices today released a video of legendary civil rights leader Dolores Huerta endorsing Connecticut’s medical aid-in-dying bill (HB 6425) that the Public Health Committee overwhelmingly approved last month in a bipartisan 24-9 vote for a House floor vote. 

“I watched my mother die in agony from breast cancer,” says the 91-year-old Huerta in the video (posted at bit.ly/DoloresHuertaHB6425endorse ). “Thankfully, lawmakers are considering a bill that will allow terminally ill adults to end unbearable suffering under the care of doctors and surrounded by their loved ones. Please tell state lawmakers to pass end-of-life options by visiting Compassion And Choices.org.” Huerta’s video endorsement of Connecticut’s medical aid-in-dying legislation coincides with the release of a new GQR poll of 550 state voters last month, commissioned by Compassion & Choices. It shows three out of four Connecticut voters (75%) also support the bill, including 72 percent of people of color.  The new GQR poll shows a 12-point jump in support for medical aid in dying, from 63 to 75 percent, compared to the previous Connecticut survey on the issue in 2015 by Quinnipiac University. The majority support for medical aid-in-dying legislation in the GQR poll spans the age, demographic, gender identity, political, racial, and religious spectrum, including Catholics (69%) and people who have a disability (65%). “We already knew a majority of Connecticut residents supported medical aid in dying, and this poll shows it’s only increased dramatically since 2015,” said Tim Appleton, Connecticut campaign director for Compassion & Choices. “Today, we see broad support among people in every demographic, geographic area , ideological, and religious group. Connecticut residents believe that people who are terminally ill should have the option to gently end unbearable suffering.”Below is a demographic breakdown of the GQR poll results [ link to poll graphic ].

The new Connecticut poll results nearly mirror the most recent national Gallup poll on the issue in May 2020, showing 74 percent of Americans support medical aid in dying, a 6-point jump from the 68 percent support in Gallup’s pre-pandemic poll in May 2019 (see question 15 on page 2).