California (USA): Governor signs End of Life Option Act
05 October 2015
21 January 2015 / 4 June 2015 / 4 + 11 September 2015 / 5 October 2015
Californian State Senators Lois Wolk, Bill Monning and others, backed by Brittany Maynard’ family, introduced the ‘End of Life Option Act: modelled after the 1997 Oregon Dying with Dignity Act, the Bill would give a terminally ill, mentally competent adult resident in California, the right to ask and receive from his or her physician a prescription for a lethal drug to end his or her suffering.
Senate Bill SB-128 End of Life (Link to California Legislative Information)
On 2 September 2015, the Public Health and Developmental Services Committee of the California Assembly approved of the California End of Life Option Act by 10 : 3 votes, and two days later the Assembly Finance Commitee by 5 : 3 votes. In a next step, the bill will be voted on by both houses of the California Legislature.
On 11 September, the End of Life Option Act (SB 128) was approved by 23 : 14 votes of the Senators after it was approved by 43 : 34 votes in the Assembly. The Bill only needs one more step which is the signature of Governor Jerry Brown.
Speech by Debby Ziegler, mother of Brittany Maynard who had to move from California to Oregon in order to make use of her right to end her suffering self-determinedly:
On 5 October 2015, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., a Catholic and former Jesuit seminarian, signed the End of Life Option Act. “I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.” he wrote in his signing message. Thus, California becomes a further US-State in which terminally ill have freedom of choice to self-determinedly end their suffering with physician’s assessment and prescription of medication. The End of Life Option Act definetely took effect on 9 June 2016.
