Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) activity in California

Bill AB 374 "California
Compassionate Choices Act:"

Sponsored link.

Legislative activity: Bill AB 374:

Assembly members Patty Berg, and Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) and Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez i introduced AB 374 on 2007-FEB-15 to legalize Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) in California. It is similar to AB 654 and AB 651 that failed to proceed during 2005 and 2006.

It was approved on 2007-MAR-27 by the Assembly Judiciary Committee by a strict party-line vote of 7 (all Democrats) to 3 (all Republicans). ₁

It was heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on 2007-APR-18. No vote was taken. The bill was put on suspense.

Contents of the bill:

From the preamble to the bill:

"This bill would enact the California Compassionate Choices Act, which would authorize an adult who meets certain qualifications, and who has been determined by his or her attending physician to be suffering from a terminal disease, as defined, to make a request for medication prescribed pursuant to this bill to provide comfort with an assurance of peaceful dying if suffering becomes unbearable. The bill would establish procedures for making these requests."

"The bill would require that nothing in its provisions be construed to authorize ending a patient's life by lethal injection, mercy killing, or active euthanasia, and would provide that action taken in accordance with the act shall not constitute suicide or homicide." ₂

Some of the contents of the bill:

REQUEST FOR MEDICATION TO END MY LIFE IN A HUMANE AND DIGNIFIED MANNER
I, ____, am an adult of sound mind. I am suffering from ____, which my attending physician has determined is a terminal disease which will, within reasonable medical judgment, likely lead to my death within six months, and which has been medically confirmed by a consulting physician.

I have been fully informed of my diagnosis, prognosis, the nature of the medication to be prescribed, and the potential associated risks, the expected result, and the feasible alternatives, including comfort care, hospice care, and pain control.

I request that my attending physician prescribe medication that will allow me to hasten the end of my life in a humane and dignified manner.

INITIAL ALL:
------- I understand that I have the right to rescind this request at any time. I understand that I will not receive a prescription for the medication until
 ------- my physician verifies that my current  prognosis is three months to live or less. I understand the full import of this
 ------- request, and I expect to die if I take the medication to be prescribed.I make this request voluntarily and without reservation. I made this
------- request without any coercion or influence based on financial or other reasons from anyone else or any entity.
------- I accept full moral responsibility for my actions.

INITIAL ONE:
I have informed my family of my
------- decision and taken their opinions into consideration.
------- I have decided not to inform my family of my decision.
------- I have no family to inform of my decision.

Print Name -------------
Signed: ----------------
Dated: -----------------

"... confirm, the attending physician's diagnosis and that the patient is suffering from a terminal disease and verify that the patient is capable, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision."

References:

1. " 'Compassionate Choices Act' AB 374, ITFEAS, at: http://www.internationaltaskforce.org/
2. Text of Bill AB 374 is at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/
3. "AB 374: California Compassionate Choices Act," California Catholic Conference, 2007, at: http://www.cacatholic.org/