Guilford Resident Works to Promote 'Aid in Dying' Bill

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, from 7 PM - 8 PM, Barbara Coombs Lee, CEO of Compassion & Choices, will be one of the speakers at an informational meeting on the "Aid in Dying" Bill held at the Guilford Free Library. The bill itself will come out as a 'Committee Bill' from the Public Health Committee. 

"I've been working with Compassion & Choices to get this bill passed in the State Legislation," Gitta Morris told Guilford Patch. "This meeting is just one of many steps we've taken to inform people about it." 

"Oregon and Washington have both passed legislation that the Connecticut law is being modeled on; however, fewer restrictions will probably be written into Connecticut’s law," Morris shared in an email. "Regarded primarily as a human rights issue, it would allow a terminally ill person with less than six months to live, to receive a prescription from his physician that would allow him to end his suffering if and when he desires to do so."

"In three New England states including Connecticut, surveys showed that 60 percent of the people are in favor of aid in dying legislation," Morris's email read. "Connecticut already has attempted four times, beginning in 1995, to pass guidelines similar to Oregon’s law; no progress was made for various reasons.  This year the bill is being introduced  in the Public Health Committee, where it is thought to have some support."

"This bill would promote 'death with dignity," Morris concluded. "It would allow the terminally ill more freedom in choosing when and where their lives would end."