Washington State: Physician-Assisted Suicide Bill Being Considered

[Frodo]

Lawmaker wants to start discussion of physician-assisted suicide

By RACHEL LA CORTE
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law, a lawmaker here introduced a bill Thursday that would allow doctors to write prescriptions to help terminally ill patients die.

Sen. Pat Thibaudeau, D-Seattle, said she wasn't sure if the bill would even get a hearing because it's such a controversial topic to tackle during the short 60-day legislative session.

"It's important to begin the discussion about it," she said. "I believe it's a matter of choice. As our population grows older, this will increasingly become an issue."

Thibaudeau's bill, which would create the "Death with Dignity Act," would cover extremely sick people: those with incurable diseases, whom at least two doctors agree have six months or less to live and are of sound mind.

The law would mirror Oregon's. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a Bush administration attempt to punish doctors who help terminally ill patients die.

Oregon's law, the only one of its kind in the country, allows doctors only to write prescriptions for such patients, who must administer the drugs themselves.

Thibaudeau's 14-page bill requires that patients be competent adults who make an informed decision to end their life if they have a terminal disease. They must make a written request that is witnessed by at least two people, and two doctors must confirm the diagnosis.

"There are limited numbers, but there are situations where a person wants to make this choice," she said. "They should be allowed to make this choice."

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And here is the link to the 'Death with Dignity Act' in PDF format.