California Senate to Consider Death With Dignity

Many may recall 29-year-old Brittany Maynard’s decision to move from California to Oregon in order to end her own life, rather than suffer from brain cancer. 

Now, the California Senate is considering the “End of Life Option Act,” which would allow for terminally ill residents of California to voluntarily end their own lives by requesting “aid in dying” medicine prescribed by a physician and then self-administered by the patient.  At the core of the legislation is informed consent by the patient, verification of informed consent, and an opportunity for the patient to withdraw.  According to a poll last month, 70 percent of Californians support the legislation. 

See Dennis Fordham, Estate Planning: Death With Dignity, Lake County News, March 27, 2015.