HARTFORD, Conn. – Proponents a controversial bill permitting doctors help terminally ill patients end their lives are hoping modifications to last year’s proposal, a change of venue, and national awareness of the issue will help get the bill passed.
A lobbyist for Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit organization committed to giving people choices at the end of their lives, said this year’s bill requires a terminally ill, mentally competent patient to ask their attending physician for a prescription to help end their lives not once, but twice. It also requires a 15 day waiting period between those requests. Both of the requests require an affidavit that must be witnessed by two people. Those two people can’t be an heir, relative, an employee of the medical facility, or the doctor.
Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, a vocal supporter of the legislation, said he doesn’t expect the opposition to change their minds based on the changes made to the bill. However, he said the debate feels much larger than it did last year.
See the complete story at CT News Junkie.
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