Tuesday, December 16, 2014

New Jersey Senate may vote on assisted suicide bill.

By Alex Schadenberg
International Chair - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Sign the petition urging New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to veto the assisted suicide bill.

The New Jersey assisted suicide bill narrowly passed, in 2014 (4 - 3) in the Senate Health Services and Senior Citizens Committee after hearing testimony on the bill.

Contact the New Jersey Senators and tell them to reject assisted suicide Bill 382 because it is not safe.

Assisted Suicide Bill 382 may go to a vote in the New Jersey Senate in January 2016. If the Senate passes the bill, Governer Chris Christie will need to veto the bill.

Sign the petition urging New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to veto the assisted suicide bill.

NJ.com published a good article concerning the Senate committee hearing. The article stated:
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee voted 4-3 to let the “Aid in Dying” bill proceed to the full 40-member Senate, but did so in a way that registered committee members concern and uncertainty by approving it "without recommendation." 
Sens. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic), Robert Gordon (D-Bergen) and Chairman Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) voted yes to allow to the bill to move forward, but agreed they would have voted no had it come up for a vote in the full Senate today. 
"I'm not sure there are enough safeguards in place" to prevent the law from being abused, Vitale said
John Kelly from Not Dead Yet.
The Senate committee held a hearing with only two speakers from each side of the bill. The disability rights community were left out of that hearing. The second hearing occurred after the outcry of disability rights leaders who demanded that their voice be heard. The NJ.com article stated:
The bill has drawn the ire of many people with physical and developmental disabilities and their advocates. Curtis Edmonds, a managing attorney at Disability Rights New Jersey, a federally-funded legal advocacy organization, warned that such a law would define "what is perceived as an acceptable quality of life... and death as an obligation rather than autonomy."
Contact the New Jersey Senators and tell them to reject assisted suicide Bill 382 because it is not safe.

7 comments:

Marimae said...

Like so many, I am repulsed by this Supreme Court decision. I fear not only for my own life (I am a senior) but for the needless loss of life that will now follow. I am equally repulsed by the biased coverage by media on this issue. I know there are countless Canadians who face disease and death every day with dignity, and I wish their stories were being celebrated.

Beth Leach said...

I whole heartedly agree with Marimae's comment!!

Unknown said...

You ask us to vote on this issue, and when I reach your web page, the manner to vote is no where to be found: No, please vote No, I hope you vote against allowing assisted suicide.

Maureen said...

I too could not find the place to vote N:O----

Gord Schneider said...

I would vote 'NO' if there was someplace to vote. I can't find any survey, sorry.

Unknown said...

I would vote NO Can't find a place to do so here!

Donna Elhard said...

Where do we vote no?