Good news – for now – in Maryland. According to the Baltimore Sun:
Hope ended Wednesday for those who wanted Maryland to pass a “death with dignity” law this year.
Leaders of two key committees considering a bill that would have allowed doctors to prescribe medicine to help terminally ill patients end their lives decided not to vote on the proposal, effectively killing it.
But it’s highly likely the bill will be resurrected/reincarnated:
The move ends an emotional debate in the General Assembly — for now. House and Senate leaders plan to convene a work group that will present another proposal in January. That spares the legislature a complex floor debate in the waning days of the session this year.
NDY Board member Sam Crane is quoted in the article:
“We are absolutely delighted that the committees realized that this bill would not work for Marylanders,” said Sam Crane, director of public policy for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and a member of the MD Coalition Against Physician Assisted Suicide.
Crane’s group, religious organizations, mental health groups and disability advocates had argued that the bill would sanction death for people who relied on others to care for them and could put some the state’s most vulnerable populations at risk.
Sam was one of many disability advocates/activists who testified against the bill, including Crosby King for Not Dead Yet and and Richard Davis, on behalf of the Arc of Maryland.
Next week, there will be hearings in California and Rhode Island on similar bills. So far, we know that Emily Titon plans to testify in the Rhode Island hearing and Marilyn Golden plans to testify in California. Marilyn Golden testified before the Senate Health Committee in March – her testimony can be read here.