Right-To-Die Bill Stalls In California Legislature, But May Be Put On Ballot
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A right-to-die bill seen as the best chance to bring the practice to California has stalled in the state legislature.
Senate Bill 128 would have allowed terminally ill patients to end their lives under a doctor's care.
The issue gained national attention last year when California native Brittany Maynard moved to Oregon to end her life after being diagnosed with brain cancer.
Her mother, Deborah Ziegler, has been very vocal in helping to get a law passed in California, but the bill has been shelved.
"Well it's a short disappointment, but my husband and I believe the time for this bill has come," she said. "We think that this will continue to be a topic in California and we think Californians won't let this matter die."
SB128 passed the state Senate in June, but the authors decided not to present it to the Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday, because they didn't have the vote to get it through.
The bill would have allowed doctors to prescribe lethal drugs for terminally ill patients to self-administer and end their lives. Religious groups had major objections to the bill, as did lawmakers.
While the bill won't move in the legislature, there's talk of putting it on a ballot for voters to decide.
