Group Challenges State’s New Assisted Suicide Law
Sacramento, CA — The Governor signed the “End of Life Option Act,” yesterday afternoon that allows terminally ill patients to legally end their lives using doctor-prescribed drugs.
In response to that signing, opponents wasted no time and launched a drive for a referendum to overturn the new law. A group called Seniors Against Suicide filed paperwork with the Attorney General’s Office Tuesday asking that it be placed on November 2016 ballot.
The group has until January 3 to collect the 365,880 registered voters’ signatures needed to get it on the ballot. Other states including Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana already allow doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs.
The Catholic Church has also been vocal about its opposition to the law criticizing that it legalizes premature suicide and puts terminally ill patients at risk for coerced death. As previously reported in July of this year, the Catholic Church along with other religious groups successfully got the authors of the bill pulled it from the Assembly Health Committee calendar. After some amendments, the legislation eventually passed in September. The new law, is expected to take effect next year.
