Week 21/2017 in the Death with Dignity Movement

In the week from May 22 to May 28, 2017:

• The Maine House voted down LD 347, An Act to Support Death with Dignity, on a 61 to 85 vote. The bill is done for the session.
• The Nevada Senate approved SB 261, an assisted dying bill, on a close 11 to 10 vote. The bill now heads to the House.
• The proposed federal budget includes a rider cutting funding from the D.C. Death with Dignity Act (the funding is needed to set up the reporting system). If approved the budget would effectively nullify the new D.C. law.

District of Columbia

• “Trump Budget Aims To Block Funding For D.C. Death with Dignity Law,” WAMU, 5/23/2017
• “D.C. assisted suicide law could be blocked under Trump’s budget,” Washington Post, 5/23/2017
• “Fight Over D.C.’s Death With Dignity Law Finds New Life In Trump’s Budget,” DCist, 5/24/2017
• “D.C. Area Lawmakers Reject Proposed Trump Budget,” Afro, 5/25/2017
• “The White House and Congress should respect D.C.’s decision on ‘Death with Dignity’,” Washington Post, 5/27/2017

Maine

• “Maine House rejects ‘death with dignity’ bill,” Portland Press Herald, 5/23/2017
• “Death With Dignity Bill Fails in Maine House,” Maine Public, 5/23/2017
• “Maine House votes against physician-assisted suicide,” Bangor Daily News, 5/23/2017

Nevada

• “Emotions run high as Nevada Senate passes assisted suicide bill,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 5/23/2017
• “Senate passes bill permitting doctor-assisted suicide,” Reno Gazette Journal, 5/23/2017
  
• “Right-to-die bill moves forward in Nevada legislature,” USA TODAY, 5/23/2017
  
• “Nevada senate approves physician aid-in-dying bill,” Jurist, 5/24/2017

New York

• “New York Appeals Court To Hear Case on Doctor Aid in Dying,” Wall Street Journal, 5/22/2017
• “Former Assembly Member Discusses Support Of NY Medical Aid In Dying Bill,” WAMC, 5/22/2017

Elsewhere

• South Dakota: “Voters could bring physician aid in dying to SD,” KSFY-ABC, 5/23/2017