Compassion & Choices Action Network and advocates praised California Governor Gavin Newsom Friday evening for signing Senate Bill 403 (SB 403) into law. The new law will amend the California End of Life Option Act by removing its sunset clause, which would have caused the law to end in 2031, making medical aid in dying a permanent option for qualifying, terminally ill Californians.
“Compassion & Choices celebrates Governor Newsom’s decision to sign Senate Bill 403 into law and ensure continued access to medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults, demonstrating his commitment to patient autonomy in the state of California,” said Kevin Díaz, President/CEO for Compassion & Choices and Compassion & Choices Action Network. “With his signature, Californians will no longer have to worry that they or their loved ones may not have access to a full range of healthcare options when they are making their end-of-life decisions.”
“This moment is the well-earned result of tireless work by volunteers, legislative champions, and so many passionate advocates past and present,” said Leslie Chinchilla, California state campaign manager for Compassion & Choices Action Network. “We have been on the ground in California for decades alongside a diverse coalition of partner organizations and advocates who never stopped fighting, building relationships with lawmakers, raising awareness in their communities, and elevating the voices of terminally ill Californians and their families.”
SB 403, authored by Senator Catherine Blakespear, passed with strong bi-partisan support in both the California State Senate (25-9) and Assembly (59-12) on September 12. SB 403 does not change the law itself – it simply removes the sunset provision. The law will become effective on January 1, 2026, granting terminally ill Californians permanent access to medical aid in dying, an end-of-life option that has been authorized in the state for a decade.
In 2014, advocate Brittany Maynard and her husband Dan Diaz thrust medical aid in dying into the national spotlight when they moved from their home state of California to Oregon so Maynard could avoid the excruciatingly painful death associated with glioblastoma. At that time, medical aid in dying was not yet authorized in California, and Oregon’s aid-in-dying law required residency.
Maynard’s legacy, and Diaz’s continued advocacy after her death, greatly contributed to the passage of California’s End of Life Option Act in 2015 and inspired awareness and advocacy in support of medical aid in dying across the country.
“Brittany had the gentle death she wanted solely because of medical aid in dying. All Californians deserve the same opportunity – permanently,” said Diaz. “I cannot thank Governor Newsom enough for showing compassion and rightfully honoring the wishes of the majority of Californians who support the option of medical aid in dying by swiftly signing this important bill into law.”
Three in four Californians (75%) support the End of Life Option Act, including the majority of every demographic group surveyed, including Hispanic Californians (68%), Black Californians (70%), Asian Californians (76%), and white Californians (82%), according to the California Health Care Foundation.
In California, 1,281 terminally ill Californians obtained prescriptions for medical aid in dying and 884 patients (69%) took the medication in 2023. The aid in dying medication was prescribed by 337 unique physicians. The underlying illnesses of the individuals who utilized medical aid in dying were: cancer: 63.8%, cardiovascular: 12.1%, neurological disease: 8.8 %, respiratory diseases 8%, and other causes 7.2%. The report states that 93.8% were receiving hospice or palliative care.
Medical aid in dying is authorized in 11 other jurisdictions, including: Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana (via a state Supreme Court ruling), Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Washington, D.C. and Vermont.
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