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“California Compassionate Choices Act,” Modeled on Oregon Law, Dies in Senate Committee
By Frank D. Russo
Assembly Bill 651, which would have given terminally ill Californians the right to death with dignity, failed today in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Its fate was sealed when the Chair, Senator Joe Dunn, generally one of the more progressive members of the legislature, announced his decision to vote against it after testimony was taken from hundreds of individuals who journeyed to Sacramento to speak on the measure. They can be seen in the above picture standing in line to testify, almost emptying the cavernous hearing room.
Modeled after the Oregon law which recently was upheld by the US Supreme Court against claims of federal preemption, the bill had garnered the support of many physicians, bioethicists, and organizations such as the Congress of California Seniors and the American Civil Liberties Union. Despite polls showing it had overwhelming public support, which included even a majority of Catholics and other segments of California society, it was a lightening rod for opponents, including the Catholic Church which organized against it.
Senator Dunn stated that when he gaveled up the committee, he had not decided whether to support or oppose the bill. With the overflow audience sitting on the edge of their seats, he described it as a “very difficult issue.” He stated he “wanted to speak from the heart, for a moment or two, with no notes.” For twenty minutes, he brought up arguments, both pro and con and then stated “I think the inquiry needs to go deeper.” At the end, he announced he was voting against it “with a heavy heart” because of bioethical concerns that were not answered.
Supporters of Death With Dignity, which included many who had experienced difficulties with terminally ill relatives, will undoubtedly be back again next year, but the bill is dead for this session. In Oregon, it had to be passed by a vote of the people. Many legislators were not anxious to have votes recorded in this election year. A ballot measure would be quite expensive and resources of the Catholic Church and other sources would contribute heavily against any ballot proposition.
Comments
Oxymoronic "death with dignity" spokespersons should admit to their greed: Trouble with terminally ill relatives translates into not being quick enough to stalk their identity theft victims despite predatory perpetrating with invasive stuffings before the hapless were too sick not to seek so-called medical advice. Those who use the works of great people now lost to the necrophiliacal perverts who also are no longer welcome in California can retreat to their luxury recretional vehicles for the fugitve felon regroupings where they can lick their own wounds for a change. That legislation is primitively pitiful. Deathing another individual has been wrong forever. Pseudo-sophisticates in their stolen disguises which fail to convey the talents of those who wore the skins before they became cadavers on the pornographic underground now have time to hide their odors of embalming fluid. Most of those alleged advocates have far too many identities to service already anyway. Oregon is a scary place since the cults discovered that once beautiful environment. Who would go there without precautions during these weird days when the resources of people are considered pieces in a depraved game of enslavement?
Posted by: Dr. R. peter Johnson at June 27, 2006 06:47 PM
Dr. Johnson, if there is such a person, deliberately miconstrues the legislation. Nothing new here. As Assembly member Lloyd Levine, co-author of the Bill, said, it is "fear and morality" that keeps people from supporting it.
Fear I understand. Education can help with that issue. But what kind of morality wishes suffering on dying patients, ascribes only evil motives to those who would help them and would equate medical choices with cults?
It is greed and ignorance that defeated this bill. Senator Dunn, although he may be sincere in his own set of fears and morality (he did consult with his Bishop before the vote), let us down most by expressing his mistrust of the legislative process, when he suggested that in years to come "Big money" interests may influence future legislators to expand the scope of this very constrained, humane legislation.
Ironiclaly, Big Money carried the day in the form of the Catholic and California Medical Associations' lobbies.
Posted by: Dotty LeMieux at June 29, 2006 11:45 AM
MY HUSBAND DIED LAST YEAR 7/20 HE WAS ILL WITH ALS, I ONLY HAD WISHED WE LIVED IN OREGON, WHERE AT LEAST THEY TRULY HAVE COMPASSION AND ARE NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP AND DO WHAT WOULD BE RIGHT. AFTER 1 1/2 OF SEEING MY HUSBAND SUFFER AND DIE EACH DAY IS MORE THAN ANY ONE HUMAN SHOULD HAVE TO WITNESS. AND SHAME ON THOSE THAT HAVE THE POWER TO HELP AND DONT.
Posted by: DEBRA A. ORESKO at May 22, 2007 02:04 AM
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