Democratic Congresswoman Deborah Armstrong from New Mexico introduced a bill right before the Christmas Holidays that would open to the door to legalized assisted suicide for anyone from all 50 states.
New Mexico House bill, also known as The Elizabeth Whitefield End of Life Options Act would tremendously expand the scope of legalized assisted suicide in America. What makes this bill so dangerous – aside from threatening life in New Mexico – is that it paves the way for assisted suicide in other states as well. The bill does not have a residency requirement, meaning that persons residing outside of the state of New Mexico can travel to the state and be euthanized without needing to have resided in the state or county in which the procedure is performed for a set period of time prior to having the life-ending operation completed.
California Family Council has consistently and vocally voiced its opposition to any forms of assisted suicide, at any stage of life. Assisted suicide is both dangerous and unethical. So far, experiences in Oregon – the first state to legalize assisted suicide in 1994 – has consistently opened up the door for abuse, especially of the elderly.
Alex Schadenberg with Lifenews writes:
Let’s not be innocent, legalizing assisted suicide leads to the further degradation of people with disabilities and other people who are medically vulnerable while creating new paths for elder abuse and the perfect legal defense for deaths not considered by the assisted suicide debate.
There are many other concerns with Bill HB 90 such as the bill:
– does not require the person to “self administer” thus it allows euthanasia (homicide),
– allows nurses and physician assistants to participate in assisted suicide,
– does not require a second assessor,
– allows people with mental health disorders to die by assisted suicide,
– requires health care providers to falsify the death certificate.
– provides legal protection for anyone who participate in the act,
– negates conscience rights for health care providers by forcing them to refer for assisted suicide,
– uses the undefined term “foreseeable future” for terminal illness,
– while all of this is only held together by “good faith” compliance.HB 90 is so wide that you can drive a hearse through it.
Currently only seven states have assisted suicide legalized through statutes or a court decision. Those states are California, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
