Senators Bill Monning, Lois Wolk to introduce legislation to authorize medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults in Golden State
MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WED., JAN. 21
WHAT:
News conference to announce introduction of "End-of-Life Options Act"
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20150120/170234
WHY:
California voters support the medical option of aid in dying by more than a 2-1 margin (64% vs. 24%). Yet, two decades after Oregon voters passed our nation's first death-with-dignity law in 1994, California still has not authorized this end-of-life option. Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old Californian with terminal brain cancer, brought international attention to this problem when she had to move to Oregon to utilize its death-with-dignity law. These laws authorize mentally competent, terminally ill adults to have the option to request aid-in-dying prescription medication they can take to end their end-of-life suffering if it becomes unbearable. Four other states authorize aid in dying: Washington, Montana, Vermont, and New Mexico.
Since Brittany Maynard's story broke on Oct. 6, lawmakers have pledged to introduce similar bills in Washington, D.C., and at least 12 states besides California. They include: Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Brittany's story also is galvanizing Compassion & Choices campaigns to pass bills authorizing aid in dying in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey and to defend this legally recognized option in Montana, New Mexico and Vermont.
WHO:
Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning, 17(th) District, bill coauthor
Senate Majority Whip Lois Wolk, 3(rd) District, bill coauthor
Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman, 13(th) District, bill coauthor
Dan Diaz, Brittany Maynard's widower
Debbie Ziegler, Brittany Maynard's mother
Rev. Dr. Ignacio Castuera, Methodist Minister, Compassion & Choices board member
Dolores Huerta, Labor leader and civil rights activist (tentative)
Jennifer Glass, advocate for end-of-life options, living with advanced lung cancer
Dr. Robert Olvera, physician whose 25-year-old daughter suffered in agony for four months before she died from leukemia last year
WHEN:
Jan. 21, 2014, 1:30 p.m., Pacific Time
WHERE:
California State Capitol
Governor's Press Conference Room, Room 1190
Sacramento, CA 95814
HOW:
Journalists who are unable to attend news conference can watch a live video stream of it here: http://sd17.senate.ca.gov/ or http://sd03.senate.ca.gov/
CALIFORNIA MEDIA CONTACTS:
Patricia A. González-Portillo, (323) 819-0310, pportillo@compassionandchoices.org;
Christal Smith, (323) 804-2119, csmith@compassionandchoices.org
NATIONAL MEDIA CONTACT:
Sean Crowley, (202) 496-8520-c, scrowley@compassionandchoices.org
About Compassion & Choices
Compassion & Choices is the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit organization working to improve care and expand choice at the end of life. Leading the end-of-life choice movement for more than 30 years, we support, educate and advocate. In 2014, C&C launched a campaign to make death with dignity an end-of-life option for Californians. More information is available at: www.compassionandchoices.org
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20150120/170235
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20140312/DC81938LOGO-b
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150120/170234
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150120/170235
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140312/DC81938LOGO-b
/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Jan. 20, 2015/
SOURCE Compassion & Choices
