By Steve Geissinger
Sacramento Bureau
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - SACRAMENTO -- After an emotional debate spurred by the Terry Schiavo case, a state Assembly committee approved a bill Tuesday that would allow doctor-assisted suicide for the terminally ill in California.
Co-authored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, the bill is modeled after Oregon's landmark law. Its movement forward in the California Legislature is certain to put the state in the spotlight of the national controversy stirred by the Schiavo case.
The legislation would allow adults with less than six months to live to self-administer life-ending medication prescribed by a doctor. It cleared the Judiciary Committee on a 5-3 vote after Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez, D-Mission Hills, joined two Republicans in voting against it.
"We are trying to bring the everyday practice of aid in dying out of the shadows, into the light of public scrutiny," said Levine, who pursued the concept of assisted suicide after the death of his terminally ill grandmother.
Supporters, who included a wildly varied parade of hospice workers, doctors, attorneys, religious and community-group representatives, hope to win some GOP backing and push the measure through to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who would face a dilemma as a Catholic and social moderate.
But the measure also faces strong opponents, including the California Medical Association and the Roman Catholic Church.
"It's never right to commit, encourage, endorse or assist suicide for persons of any age or stage of life," said Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, which includes the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Instead, he said, legislators should "work together to deal with the real issues of health care, death and dying in our society."
Opponents also said the bill could lead to the killing of patients who weren't dying or didn't want to die.
But supporters said the bill, including amendments approved Tuesday, provides sufficient protection against coercion and assurances the patient's judgment is not altered by medication.
To decide on assisted suicide, the patient would have to be declared mentally competent, see two physicians, make written and oral requests for the lethal dose, be counseled about alternatives and wait through a cooling-off time. Additionally, only the patient could legally make the decision, not a family member or a guardian.
"Our bill assures that the patient is always in control," said Assemblywoman Patty Berg, D-Eureka, another co-sponsor of the bill. Former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts also testified in support of the measure, citing what she called the success of her state's Death With Dignity Act, approved by voters in 1994. The Bush administration, however, is legally challenging that law.
With approval from the Assembly Judiciary Committee, the bill was sent to the Appropriations Committee, which is expected to forward it to the Assembly floor. If approved there, the measure would go to the state Senate for a similar process, starting with committee hearings.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Steve Geissinger, (916) 447-9302 sgeissinger@angnewspapers.com
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