ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland House of Delegates approved a bill March 7 to legalize physician-assisted suicide.
The bill, which
passed with a 74-66 vote, would allow adults with six or less months to live to
obtain a prescription for life-ending drugs if a doctor has verified that the
person requesting the drugs has the capacity to make the decision for himself
or herself. The prescription also can only be self-administered.
The bill now goes
to the state Senate.
Jennifer
Briemann, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, said in a
March 7 statement that the state Catholic conference urges the Maryland Senate
and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan "to act swiftly to decry the action of their
colleagues in the House and stop this dangerously flawed bill from
advancing."
She said the
discussion about the bill before the vote showed that many are concerned about
the "health disparity and economic discrimination issues raised by the
bill." She said members of the Legislative Black Caucus and many in the
Democratic House leadership stand in strong opposition to the bill.
"We applaud
their courage to stand up to the out-of-state interests pushing this predatory
agenda," Briemann said.
The Associated
Press said Hogan has described this issue as one "I really wrestle with
from a personal basis." Hogan, a Republican who has battled cancer, told
reporters in February that he would take a close look at the measure, if it
came to his desk.
Physician-assisted
suicide is legal in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Vermont and
Washington and the District of Columbia.