California State Senator Catherine Blakespear is reigniting the debate over assisted suicide by seeking to expand the state’s End of Life Option Act (EOLOA). The 2016 law, which allows terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to request life-ending drugs, could soon include patients with early to mid-stage dementia and other non-terminal conditions, if Blakespear’s proposals gain traction.
Last year alone, 1,281 Californians received drugs from a licensed doctor to kill themselves thanks to the state’s assisted suicide law. Nine other states, including Washington, D.C., have similar statutes, as well as Canada and a handful of other Western countries.
Speaking at a recent town hall in Carlsbad, Senator Blakespear, whose district stretches from Mission Viejo in Orange County south to San Diego, emphasized the importance of revisiting existing legislation to address what she perceives as gaps in eligibility. She explained her attempt last year to pass SB 1196, which would have broadened eligibility for assisted suicide to those who are not terminally ill, but suffering from a “grievous and irremediable medical condition.” Although that bill was defeated, Blakespear is gathering feedback and working to build coalitions, including engaging with organizations like the American Medical Association (AMA) to ease resistance to her plans. (Watch the town hall here.)
A Shift in End-of-Life Policies?
The proposed changes suggested at Blakespear’s town hall would fundamentally alter the scope of California’s assisted suicide law. Key provisions discussed include:
Expanding Eligibility: Allowing patients with non-terminal but “grievous and irremediable medical conditions,” such as early dementia, to qualify for life-ending medication.
Alternative Administration: Introducing intravenous methods for administering suicide drugs alongside the current oral option.
Permanent Implementation: Removing the EOLOA’s sunset clause, set to expire in 2031, to make the law permanent.
Blakespear’s push mirrors trends in countries like Belgium, Canada, and the Netherlands, where eligibility criteria broadened after initial approval so that individuals with psychiatric conditions and other non-terminal illnesses are included. Critics have always warned that normalizing the killing of patients to end suffering leads to societal acceptance of euthanasia for increasingly vulnerable groups.
Medical Doctor and Pastor Answer Assisted Suicide Questions
The town hall highlighted views from a doctor and a pastor on the ethics and implications of expanding assisted suicide. Dr. Donald Moore, an end-of-life physician with Eumoria Health, described the practical realities of administering life-ending drugs. While he acknowledged that the process can be physically unsettling to observe, he emphasized that the medications generally ensure patients experience minimal awareness once they fall asleep.
Reverend Shockley of Pilgrim United Church of Christ, from Carlsbad, framed the debate as an issue of religious freedom. “Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but your beliefs should not impose upon me, or limit the exercise, the free exercise of my religious beliefs,” Shockley argued. “I believe that a loving, caring, compassionate God takes no delight in my suffering and pain, but invites me to the next realm with as much peace and grace as possible. That’s my faith, and it’s with that faith that I would utilize and access the law for medical aid in dying, and someone else’s interpretation should not prevent me from the free exercise of my religion.”
However, the California Family Council (CFC) strongly opposes these arguments, citing deeply held beliefs about the sanctity of life. “Life is a sacred gift from God, and we have no authority to end it prematurely, even if a person’s religious beliefs tell them it’s okay,” stated Greg Burt, Vice President of CFC. The organization also warns against the societal risks of normalizing assisted suicide, particularly for the elderly, disabled, and economically disadvantaged, who may face pressure to end their lives prematurely.
The Slippery Slope in Action
Evidence from other nations underscores CFC’s concerns. In Belgium and the Netherlands, laws initially restricted to terminal illnesses have expanded to include psychological suffering. Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program has also grown to encompass chronic conditions and, controversially, may soon include individuals with mental illnesses.
“California should learn from these examples,” Burt argued. “Promoting suicide, even under the guise of compassion, devalues human life, corrupts the practice of medicine, and endangers the vulnerable.”
A Growing Divide in California
As Senator Blakespear prepares to reintroduce her proposals, the debate over assisted suicide is reaching a critical point. Churches must address this issue directly, educating their congregations about the moral dangers of assisted suicide and speaking out publicly against legislators like Blakespear, who frame death as a compassionate solution to suffering.
