MA Bills

March 2021: Identical House and Senate bills were filed to legalize physician assisted suicide. The status of the bills are that they have been referred to the Joint Committee on Public Health. The bills have a significant number of legislator supporters.

Arguably, the most egregious aspect of these bills is that they are dangerous for people with disabilities and people in nursing homes. We are often asked “well, how can the bills be made safe?” . The answer is: “They cannot be made safe”. The incentives are in place for insurance and nursing homes to encourage the use of this suicide medication. Adding to the outside incentives are protections in the bills for anyone who helps someone die, but very few protections for the patients.

An Act relative to end of life options

Joint Committee on Public Health public hearing: End of Life Options

The Joint Committee on Public Health will conduct a virtual public hearing on Friday, October 1, 2021 beginning at 9:00 a.m. on bills relating to End of Life Options. The Committee accepted testimony submitted on the following bills:  H2381 and S1384.

Links are available for submitting written testimony.

• House Bill 2381
• Senate Bill 1384