Death with Dignity Bills Return to State Legislatures

By late January, many state legislatures were back in full swing, and lawmakers across the country were introducing new bills or reconsidering bills introduced last session. Here’s our roundup of the latest death with dignity news from across the U.S.

Maryland

Advocates, lawmakers, and leaders of national organizations gathered on January 28 at the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis to urge state legislators to pass the End of Life Option Act. Death with Dignity National Center Executive Director Peg Sandeen delivered remarks at the press conference in which she released the results of a recent poll, commissioned by Death with Dignity, that showed 66 percent of Marylanders support medical aid in dying.

More news coverage from Maryland:

“Terminally ill people should have the right to choose when they die,” Baltimore Sun, 1/22/20
“After lawmakers deadlocked last year, advocates renew push for aid-in-dying bill,” Washington Post, 1/29/20

Massachusetts

Ahead of a February 5 vote by the Joint Committee of Public Health on the End of Life Options Act, Massachusetts residents from all corners of the state wrote letters of support in their local newspapers. Here are some of the best:

“Pass death with dignity bill,” Salem News, 1/29/20
“Letter: Legislature must pass ‘Death with Dignity’ bill,” Worcester Telegram, 1/24/20
“Law would allow compassionate aid for the terminally ill,” Eagle-Tribune, 1/23/20

New York

“‘Death with dignity’ legislation gets new life in New York,” New York Daily News, 1/23/20

On January 23, Death with Dignity Executive Director Peg Sandeen spoke at a lobby day at the New York State Capitol in Albany urging lawmakers to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act. The Daily News did a write-up on the event, which also featured our partner organizations and bill sponsors. Read our own blog post here.