The former SB 128, the Assisted Suicide bill that would allow California physicians to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients, was approved today by the state Assembly and could be in front of the state Senate as soon as Thursday, Sept. 11.
According to a report by the San Jose Mercury News, a two-hour debate over the bill ended with it passing 42-33. If passed by the Senate it will arrive on Gov. Brown’s desk for his signature. It is unknown at this time how he will address the bill, the paper reports. The newspaper also reports that the governor was unhappy with the manipulative tactics that put the controversial bill before the Assembly in a special session, normally reserved for emergency funding.
The bill, which was pulled from the floor in late July because of the uncertainty of it passing the Assembly Health Committee, was renamed ABX2-15 and inserted into a special legislative hearing on funding health care for the poor. It is essentially the same bill previously presented as SB 128 and at that time called the Assisted Suicide bill by those opposing it.
A statement from Californians Against Assisted Suicide read as follows:
This is a heavy-handed attempt to force through a bill that could not get any traction at all in committee. It’s one thing to run roughshod over the normal committee and legislative process to jam through a district bill, but to do that on what is literally a life-and-death issue is clearly abusive, and should concern all Californians.
It is particularly troubling that in this rush to judgment proponents are linking this bill with healthcare financing. That should be truly frightening to those on MediCal and subsidized health care, who quite logically fear a system where prescribing suicide pills could be elevated to a treatment option.
Those opposed to the bill should contact legislators to let their voices be heard as soon as possible and advance of the possible final vote on 9/11.
Asm. Jimmy Gomez – Chair – 916.319.2051
Asm. Frank Bigelow – Vice Chair – 916.319.2005
Asm. Richard Bloom – 916.319.2050
Asm. Reggie Jones-Sawyer – 916.319.2059
Asm. Kevin McCarty – 916.319.2007
Asm. Melissa Melendez – 916.319.2067
Asm. Jay Obernolte – 916.319.2033
Asm. Phil Ting – 916.319.2019
Asm. Shirley Weber – 916.319.2079