While we were adjusting to daylight-saving time this week, states with Death with Dignity legislation continued to show immense progress. We saw Colorado’s bill cross over to the House, another successful committee vote in Minnesota, an anti-medical aid in dying (MAID) resolution pass the Senate in West Virginia, and so much more.

Here’s what happened this week:

Committee Referrals

Illinois

In Illinois, SB3499 was referred to the Senate Subcommittee on End-of-Life Issues. If passed, Illinois would be the first state in the Midwest to legalize Death with Dignity.

Public Hearings and Readings

Colorado

Colorado’s SB068, an amendment to the End of Life Options Act, passed its third reading and was voted out of the Senate with a 24-11 vote. The bill crossed over to the House of Delegates and was referred to the Health and Human Services Committee. This amendment would reduce the waiting period and expand the number of practitioners who can participate in Death with Dignity.

Minnesota

Minnesota’s HF1930 passed the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee with an 8-5 in-favor vote. The bill has been referred to the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee. Minnesota has been fighting to pass Death with Dignity for almost a decade, and we’ve already seen multiple public hearings in the House this session.

Opposition Bills

Over the last few weeks, we discussed how our opponents have used new tactics to restrict the rights of terminally ill people, including introducing resolutions and constitutional amendments to block future Death with Dignity legislation.

West Virginia’s resolution, HJR28, passed out of the Senate with a 28-4 vote in favor. Now, West Virginia voters will decide in the November 2024 election whether to amend West Virginia’s Constitution, and bar physicians and healthcare providers from participating in ‘medically-assisted suicide.’

While MAID is already illegal under current West Virginia law, this constitutional amendment would mark the first time any state amended its constitution to explicitly prohibit Death with Dignity, opening up a new avenue for opponents to deny terminally ill patients the right to make their own end-of-life decisions.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on how this ballot initiative progresses and what it will mean for terminally ill West Virginians.

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